Maharashtra: BJP sacks Ahmednagar’s Deputy Mayor for using derogatory remarks on Shivaji Maharaj

Mumbai: Shripad Chhidam, the deputy Mayor of Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation (AMC) resigned from post and was sacked from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for using derogatory words against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Dilip Gandhi, the district president of BJP and Member of Parliament threw him out of the party when an audio clip of his controversial conversation with a staffer from the corporation went viral on social media.

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In the audio clip, Chhidam was heard speaking with Ashok Bidwe, an employee of Public Works Department of AMC asking why his men did not reached on the site. Bidwe named a person who was supposed to call Chhidam. “Will you send men or not, just tell me,” Chhidam is heard asking. In his reply, Bidwe is heard requesting Chhidam to let the Shiv Jayanti festival pass after which the workers will resume. Irate at this, Chhidam cut short the discussion and used some derogatory words insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

After the clip went viral on social media, Anil Rathod, the legislator of Shiv Sena along with Sambhaji Kadam, Anil Shinde, Yogiraj Gade and other Shiv Saniks lodged a complaint at Tofkhana police station against the deputy mayor. Meanwhile, members of Sena, Sambhaji Brigade, Nationalist Congress Party and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers vandalised office of Chhidam and destroyed two of his vehicles. The agitators also pelted stones at the residence of MP Gandhi, since Chhidam till now has been his supporter.  Meanwhile, advocate Vaibhav Thokal, the president of bar association, said the advocates will not accept Chhidam’s case.