BJP turns table on AIMIM, Cong, independent alliance

Vadodara: BJP turned the tables on the alliance of AIMIM, Congress and independent corporators in the Godhra municipality on Thursday. Municipality president and independent Corporator Sanjay Soni deserted the alliance and joined the BJP.
The civic polls in Godhra have been dominated by independents and the BJP has had to rely on them to form a majority despite winning a large number of seats. The Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) that had entered the poll fray for the first time, along with independents, did not allow the saffron party to come to power this time around.
In the 44-member municipality, BJP had won on 18 seats, AIMIM bagged seven and Congress got one seat. The remaining 18 seats went to independents.
BJP was looking to form a majority with the support of independents, but that did not happen and AIMIM, Congress and 17 independent corporators came together to form an alliance. The group got the majority and Soni was elected as the president. However, earlier this month, things started boiling again when chairpersons of various committees of the municipality were to be appointed.
The ruling group decided to postpone the meeting as a mark of respect to late actor Dilip Kumar.
The BJP argued that tribute could have been paid in the meeting itself and work could have continued. The BJP members held the meeting and three independents supported the move. It is believed that the real reason for the postponement of the meeting was squabbling amongst the members of the ruling alliance. There were many claimants for various key posts.
Sources said that Soni was frustrated with the state of affairs and decided to join the BJP. “I decided to stay away from controversies and joined the BJP,” he said. Soni added that he believed that with the town needed development and he could contribute to it. Soni claimed that some more corporators would join the BJP soon.
AIMIM corporator and one of the key members of the party since its inception in the town, Hanif Kalandar, said that he came to know about Soni’s joining BJP only on Thursday. “I have been hospitalised since five days,” he said.
The candidates from the minority community prefer contesting as independents in Godhra. In wards dominated by the community, BJP does not put up candidates on its symbol. Congress too contests on a limited number of seats. AIMIM had contested the polls for the first time in the town on eight seats and won seven of them.
The BJP already had the support of 21 corporators when it held the meeting to appoint chairpersons of the committees of the municipality. With Soni, it has reached the half-way mark. If Soni can keep his commitment of bringing more corporators, the BJP will return to power.