Appeal to Chief Minister of Maharashtra to end political uncertainty in Thane

DAYANAND J. NENE

President : RIGHTEOUS FOUNDATION / SAKET PARISAR ALM/SAHAKARSUTRA

A7/303, SAKET CHSL, SAKET MARG, THANE (W) 400 601 Tel: 88795 28575 email: dayanandnene@gmail.com

 

January 21, 2013

 

Hon. Chief Minister,

Govt. of Maharashtra,

Mantralaya,

Mumbai.

 

Dear Sir,

Sub: Developmental Work badly affected in Thane due to political uncertainty in the TMC.

Elections to the Thane Municipal Corporation were held in February 2011. The TMC was to be duly constituted in March 2011 after the elections of the Mayor and Dy. Mayor. During the Mayor elections, Maharashtra Navnirmaan  Sena, with 7 Corporators, had declared their support to the Shiv Sena – BJP alliance, thus ensuring their victory by a 72-58 margin. However, subsequently MNS joined the NCP-Congress and formed a Lok Shahi Aghadi and registered it with the Konkan Commisioner. This meant that post the Mayoral elections, the strength of the Shiv Sena – BJP and the Lokshahi Aghadi is tied at 65-65. In a bizarre twist to the events, after forming the Lokshahi Aghadi, the Congress suddenly took a stand that they want to keep a separate identity and filed a request that they want to detach from the Lokshahi Aghadi. The Congress filed a request with the Konkan Commissioner, who referred it to the Law Ministry of the State Govt. No Opinion  / Decision has yet come forth from the Law Ministry. In the meantime, the Congress approached the High Court – who in the month of April granted a status quo and deferred the matter till June. In June, the High Court gave a verdict that the Congress will have to stay with the Lokshahi Aghadi. This decision was challenged by the Congress in the Supreme Court. All along, the TMC was functioning without the House being properly constituted. The Standing Committee was not formed, the Co-option of 5 members was not done, the Parivahan Committee was not formed and the Education Board was not re-constituted. Even the local levels ward committees have not been formed. Finally, in end September, the TMC held elections to the Standing Committee and the same was won by the Congress nominee of the Lokshahi Aghadi by a draw of lots. It was then felt that now the Congress shall withdraw its petition in the Supreme Court -of wanting to form a separate group and break from the Lokshahi Aghadi. However, it has still not done anything of that sort and the petition continues to hang like a Damocles sword over the TMC. More-ever, as the Congress is not following up the matter with the Supreme Court, over date only ‘date after date’ is happening and no decision. In midst of all this, even after one year having passed post elections, the TMC House still remains a half-baked body. No co-options, no Parivahan Committee, no reconstitution of the Education Committee and no forming of the local Ward Committees. The BPMC Act states that co-option of members, formation of Standing Committee and Parivahan and Education Committees should be done in the first general body meeting post elections and only then the new house is constituted. Sir, so even after a year, the TMC is not really fully constituted. All this is really affecting the developmental works in Thane city. The Funds of all Corporators are sure to lapse this year and shall have to be carried forward to next year, resulting in Thane-ites suffering due to stagnancy of all activities and services related to the Thane Municipal Corporation. In his New Year address to Thane-ites, even the Municipal Commissioner RA Rajeev has lamented that due to this political uncertainty, all Developmental Works in Thane are suffering and that he was sorry that he cannot do anything in the matter. We would also like to bring to your kind notice that even if the Congress stays with the Lokshahi Aghadi or branches out, with it strength of 18 Corporators, their eligibility of getting 1 member elected on committees or co-opted remains unaffected and does not change – but if a final decision is taken in the matter soon, it will definitely help in removing the uncertainty in Thane. We don’t represent or vouch for any political party or group. All we are requesting you is to please intervene in the matter and work out an amicable solution and provide relief to all Thanekar’s. Else, we may have to seek Legal Remedies and even request that this TMC body be dissolved immediately and fresh elections be called for.

Thanking you,

Best Regards,

Dayanand Nene