'Was on a temple visit': Sena (UBT)'s 'missing' corporator resurfaces
MUMBAI, Jan. 23 -- Missing Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Sarita Mhaske has surfaced, claiming she was travelling to Dharashiv to visit a temple, and hence couldn't join her party colleagues when they registered themselves with the Konkan divisional commissioner on Wednesday.
Party insiders, however, say that Mhaske, elected from Ward 157 in Chembur, was tempted to return to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, from which she switched to the Sena (UBT) before the civic polls. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), the single largest opposition party in the BMC with 65 seats, has now locked in its roster of newly elected corporators, but not before some tricky moments.
A senior Sena (UBT) leader said the Sena had sent feelers to Mhaske, hoping to win her back, which prompted counter-moves from the Thackeray faction. Sena (UBT) secretary Milind Narvekar moved swiftly to get her to stay.
Around midnight, Mhaske reached Narvekar's residence and confirmed she was with the party. On Thursday, Narvekar and Mhaske met Thackeray. Later, she appeared before the Konkan divisional commissioner and signed the letter as a member of the Sena (UBT) group in the BMC.
"All I can say is all's well that ends well," said Narvekar, refusing to say any more. Mhaske, for her part, told the media she was travelling to Dharashiv to visit the Tuljapur temple. "All the rumours are wrong. I had gone for the temple visit. I got the message for yesterday's meeting late and hence did not attend it," she said.
Meanwhile, four newly elected Sena (UBT) corporators in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) are still incommunicado.
Sources say two of them will be supporting the Sena, while the other two are likely to return to the MNS....
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