Maharashtra: Mayor rejects BJP demand for LoP post in BMC

In the general body meeting, Pednekar read out the letter submitted by the BJP, demanding the LoP post for being the second-largest party in the civic body after the Sena. (File)

Shiv Sena-led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s Mayor Kishori Pednekar Thursday rejected former ally BJP’s demand that the Leader of Opposition (LoP) post should go to the party.

In the general body meeting, Pednekar read out the letter submitted by the BJP, demanding the LoP post for being the second-largest party in the civic body after the Sena. But the mayor rejected the demand, saying “there is an existing opposition leader appointed by House (general body)”.

The BJP staged a protest, boycotted the meeting and created a ruckus. BJP corporators said they will go to the Bombay High Court.

“After the 2017 election, ethically and morally we had said no to the post of LoP in the BMC as we (BJP-Sena) were in alliance. But now things have changed.

We had asked for a half-hour discussion on our demand but it was denied. We are a democracy and the second largest party should be given that post,” said Prabhakar Shinde, BJP’s newly appointed group leader.