WHILE all political parties barring the Shiv Sena are now aligning together against the recently passed open spaces policy, the large majority of corporators from opposition parties such as the Congress, the NCP and the MNS were absent from the general body meeting of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) when the policy was passed last Wednesday. Official sources said only about 14 corporators from the Congress, 2 each from the MNS and NCP and one from the Samajwadi Party were present when the proposal was put to vote. As the Shiv Sena’s corporators were in full strength, the policy was passed with the BJP corporators not voicing their opposition to it. Interestingly, Congress corporators were absent despite a whip issued by the party. [related-post] According to officials, the proposal on the open spaces policy came up for discussion around 5.50 pm, with discussions continuing until 8 pm. The Congress claims it had requested the Shiv Sena to first discuss the open spaces policy before taking up speeches related to the BEST budget, but the latter did not acquiesce. “I moved a motion to record the proposal, but I knew the Sena with its majority would reject that,” said Devendra Amberkar, Congress corporator and leader of the Opposition in the BMC. Putting a proposal to record indicates that it stands rejected and cannot be brought back for a discussion. Amberkar said the Opposition parties believed that the BJP would ‘refer back’ the proposal, meaning it would be sent to the administration for changes and brought back for discussions later. “It had agreed to support the BJP’s proposal for a refer-back. Why didn’t the BJP move the proposal to refer it back?” asked Amberkar. Even after his move to record the proposal was rejected, BJP’s move to refer it back could have been taken up. “Everybody except the Sena would have supported it,” he added. Another senior Congress corporator said that only a few of their partymen were present in the house because they were attending meetings in their respective areas regarding Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s visit that weekend. MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande agreed that the BJP had gone back on its word. “Had the BJP moved the amendment to refer back the proposal, it would have been put to vote then and would have been immediately crystal clear about the strength we had in the house,” said Deshpande. According to the officials from the municipal secretary department, numerous amendments can be moved on a proposal. BJP leader Manoj Kotak said instead that while they had sought support for the proposal to be referred back, Opposition parties were adamant on having it recorded for good. “There was no consensus among the Opposition parties. So, the amendment to refer back the proposal would have also been rejected,” he said. Meanwhile, Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam said he has ordered that notices be issued to corporators who were absent at the time the policy was passed. mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com
