India, May 15 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party's appointment of Dr Rajesh Patil, a party loyalist, as its Navi Mumbai chief on Tuesday, ignoring minister Ganesh Naik's supporters, appears to be a clear message to him that he will not have a freehand in running its affairs in his stronghold, where civic elections will soon be held.

The appointment of a close associate of Naik's arch rival and MLA Manda Mhatre, at a time when his son and former city president Sandeep remains expelled from the party, is being seen as the BJP maintaining the balance of power in a region where Naik earlier called the shots.

Although the BJP made him a minister after the Mahayuti alliance retained power in last year's assembly elections, reportedly to counter th...