Bhatia transfer overshadows mayoral election

The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi MVA founder Suresh Kalmadi today indicated that MVA would give up the mayoral post in favour of BJP as a commitment to the Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde. The MVA sources said Kalmadi dropped this hint while holding negotiations with a group of corporators.

According to the sources, Narayan Chavan, an MVA aspirant had a heated arguments with Kalmadi at latter8217;s residence. They said Chavan made it clear that he would contest the election even if MVA did not nominate him.

Congress and BJP-Shiv Sena alliance are expected to announce their candidates by Tuesday afternoon before the filing of nomination papers begin. The senior leaders of all the political parties were holding discussions to decide the candidate till late in the night.

A meeting of the Congress card committee was also in progress till late in the night.