A no-confidence motion against Shirur Municipal Council Deputy Mayor Mitesh Gadiya is set to be decided at a special meeting on Friday, placing the council’s recently formed political arrangement under fresh pressure. The outcome could determine whether Gadiya retains his post and whether the BJP and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress faction gain greater influence in the municipal administration.
The motion follows nearly two weeks of political developments within the Shirur council. Gadiya, who belongs to the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party faction, and councillors from the same group have reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over alleged discrimination in the allocation of funds for development works and a lack of respectful treatment. Against this backdrop, the Sharad Pawar faction withdrew its support from the Ajit Pawar faction.
The council had been formed around 10 months ago despite the BJP having the largest group, with 11 councillors. The two Nationalist Congress factions had joined hands to establish the administration, leaving the BJP on the opposition benches. That arrangement has now come under strain as the parties reassess their positions within the municipal body.
The BJP councillors, who had remained outside the ruling arrangement since its formation, extended support to Municipal Council President Aishwarya Pacharne two days before the special meeting. The BJP and the Ajit Pawar faction subsequently submitted a letter to the president seeking action on the no-confidence motion against Gadiya. The special meeting was then scheduled to consider the motion.
The immediate administrative question is whether the motion will secure approval. If it does, Gadiya’s position as deputy mayor will be affected and the balance of power within the council could change. The reported developments also indicate that the council’s functioning and the distribution of political support are being shaped by shifting alliances rather than a stable arrangement established after the previous power-sharing agreement.
The political equation in Shirur Municipal Council is also being viewed alongside developments in the local market committee. The BJP is reported to be taking a position alongside former MLA Ashok Pawar of the Sharad Pawar faction in the market committee’s politics, while supporting the Ajit Pawar faction against the same group in the municipal council. This has led to discussion over the different alliances operating across local institutions in the taluka.
Local political circles have also discussed industrialist Prakash Dhariwal’s reported influence among councillors across party lines. Dhariwal did not actively participate in this year’s municipal council election, but is said to command respect among councillors. There has also been discussion that he had supported Gadiya’s appointment as deputy mayor when the council administration was formed. The special meeting will establish whether the latest realignment can translate into a formal change within the municipal council.
