No end to NMC oppn leader row

NAGPUR: The free run enjoyed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena alliance in Nagpur Municipal Corporation since last three years is set to continue, thanks to a divided opposition. There is nobody leading the Opposition charge since last three years as Congress factions are unable to decide on a name.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress vice-president and member of parliament from Nanded Bhaskarrao Khatgaonkar on Monday came to city in his fourth attempt to resolve the dispute but in vain. MPCC has appointed Khatgaonkar and minister of state for water resources department Vijay Wadettiwar as observers for selecting a candidate for the post. Both the observers met minister Nitin Raut, MP Vilas Muttemwar, MLA Dinanath Padole, MLC Rajendra Mulak and corporators of Congress and secular democratic front (SDF) but they could not finalise the name.

Talking to TOI, Khatgaonkar said, "I will meet every corporator and submit my report to MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre. The decision about opposition leader will be finalised at Mumbai." The Congress, which has 32 members in the civic house, lost to the BJP-led alliance in February 2007. Since then, MPCC made several attempts to get two major factions in Congress to agree on leader of opposition name. However, each time it was thwarted by adamant stand of warring factions.

These factions are led by Nagpur MP Vilas Muttemwar and former guardian minister Satish Chaturvedi. Owing to their tug of war, the post of leader of opposition as well as standing committee members of party's quota have remained vacant. The SDF had appointed Sujata Kombade as leader but later announced the name of Praful Gudadhe. However, the then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh invalidated the appointment of Gudadhe.

The then Mayor Maya Iwnate then declared Sujata Kombade, belonging to Muttemwar camp, as leader of Opposition on April 21, 2008, on the basis of letter from divisional commissioner. The Chaturvedi camp along with Anees Ahmed and Nitin Raut opposed her appointment. Twenty corporators backed Praful Gudadhe on April 28, 2008, after which Iwnate appointed him as the leader of opposition. This was challenged by Kombade and the urban development ministry stayed his appointment on May 2.
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