Alliance’s liason panel in BMC too

April 30: The ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to form a co-ordination committee o...

April 30: The ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to form a co-ordination committee on the lines of the one existing at the state government-level to resolve mutual disputes.

This decision was made today at a high-level meeting of the alliance leaders at the Mayor’s bungalow to resolve the crisis that had developed after BJP’s Sardar Tarasingh and Dr Ram Barot resigned. The meeting was attended by Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, leader of the house Nandu Satam, mayor Vishakha Raut and BJP Mumbai unit president Kirit Somaiya, Madhu Chavan, Mukund Kulkarni, BJP group leader in the BMC Gopal Shetty and Sardar Tarasingh. At a joint press conference held later, the mayor said both Tarasingh and Barot had withdrawn their resignations in view of the “amicable discussions.”

“We have not decided the constitution of the co-ordination committee, but any disputes regarding the functioning of the alliance will be resolved through arbitration and in a friendly atmosphere by the committee members,” Raut said. Satam said the committee will also include senior party leaders who can guide the alliance for efficient functioning and mutual understanding.

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Meanwhile, the civic budget which was expected to be delayed in view of Tarasingh’s resignation, is now expected to be approved by the standing committee on May 5, with very few changes in the proposed hike in taxes to offset a whopping deficit of Rs 199 crore.

It is, however learnt that the committee will oppose the four-fold hike in water charges from 60 paise to Rs 2.75 per 1,000 litres for domestic consumers. Tarasingh’s resignation had threatened to delay the sanctioning of the budget, but he presided over the meeting, claiming to be under “party directions” to continue in office till the budget was sanctioned.

Tarasingh and Barot had submitted their resignations to mayor Vishakha Raut last Friday to protest against the refusal of its alliance partner Shiv Sena to grant the BJP the chairpersonship to one more special committee.

Incidentally, Raut had first denied having received the resignations. However, she explained today that she was “not aware of the same as she was busy presiding over the general body meeting that day.” Tarasingh and Barot also came under severe criticism, and their resignations were seen as a political stunt. According to the procedure, the resignations have to be submitted to the municipal secretary or the municipal commissioner, but Tarasingh and Barot chose to submit their resignations to the mayor.