NAGPUR, Jan. 31 -- The Congress's internal rift for control of the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation (CMC) took a dramatic turn on Thursday when a bus carrying newly elected party corporators was intercepted on the Samruddhi Expressway, leading to allegations of attempted abduction and death threats. The incident occurred despite a recent meeting between senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray aimed at consolidating control of the CMC. A fresh twist has emerged with allegations that a group led by Congress MP Pratibha Dhanorkar is negotiating with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to take control of the civic body. According to the police, a luxury bus carrying around 19 Congress corporators loyal to Wadettiwar was stopped near the Yelakeli toll plaza in Wardha district around 5.45 am on Thursday by a group of about 20 people who arrived in multiple vehicles with their faces covered. The group allegedly tried to forcibly remove some of the corporators from the bus. As news of the interception spread, Congress workers reached the spot, leading to a scuffle between the two groups. The police then rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control. One of the alleged abductors, Nagpur resident Kanain Siddiqui, was caught by Congress workers and later arrested by the police. Siddiqui and five others, all identified, have been booked, after Congress corporator Rajesh Adoor, who was in the bus, filed a police complaint. According to party sources, the 19 corporators loyal to Wadettiwar were heading to Nagpur to officially register their faction at the divisional commissioner's office following the civic polls. However, Saurabh Thombre, a supporter of Dhanorkar and one of the accused in the case, claimed that the bus was stopped to allow the Congress MP to speak to three corporators whom he alleged were "kidnapped" by Wadettiwar. Thombre, who had unsuccessfully contested the CMC elections from the Vitthal Mandir ward as a Congress candidate, is accused of stopping the bus, abusing the corporators, and threatening them with death. Thombre's statement has further highlighted the deepening rift within the party, though ambiguity remains over whether the five corporators aligned with Dhanorkar joined Wadettiwar voluntarily or were coerced. The incident has unfolded amid an intense power struggle within the Congress-the single largest party in the 66-member CMC-over the mayor's post following the January 15 civic elections. The Congress secured 27 seats, short of the majority mark of 34, while the BJP won 23 seats and the Shiv Sena (UBT) secured six. Elections for the mayor and deputy mayor are scheduled for February 10. Sensing an opportunity amid the Congress turmoil, the BJP has stepped up efforts to retain control of the municipal corporation. BJP MLA from Chandrapur, Kishore Jorgewar, claimed on Friday that the BJP would form the civic body and that the mayor would be from his party. Party sources said that Dhanorkar, allegedly cornered within the Congress, may extend support to the BJP. She is believed to have the backing of 11 Congress corporators. Additionally, the six Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators may also support her, despite a recent meeting between Wadettiwar and Uddhav Thackeray. It is also learnt that Sandip Girhe, Shiv Sena (UBT) Chandrapur district chief, whose wife Manashree is a corporator, is inclined towards an alliance with the BJP. However, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut reiterated on Friday that the party would support only the Congress and not the BJP....