ULHASNAGAR: Ahead of the municipal corporation elections, Uddhav Thackeray has suffered a major political setback in Thane district, with a significant defection from Ulhasnagar. Four-time corporator of the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation and Shiv Sena (UBT) Kalyan district president Dhananjay Bodare quit the party and joined the BJP on Wednesday, intensifying political churn ahead of the polls.Bodare, who is considered an influential leader not only in Ulhasnagar but also in Kalyan region, joined the BJP in the presence of BJP state president Ravindra Chavan, even as election preparations gather momentum. His exit is being seen as a serious blow to the Shiv Sena (UBT), especially as he was entrusted with key organisational responsibilities for the upcoming elections.Along with Dhananjay Bodare, four other former corporators also joined the BJP. These include Bodare’s wife and sister-in-law, both former corporators from the Shiv Sena (UBT), senior leader Rajesh Wankhede, and Nana Birade, a corporator from Team Omie Kalani (TOK). Their collective entry is expected to strengthen the BJP’s position in Ulhasnagar ahead of the civic polls.Bodare is widely known as an educated and experienced corporator. However, he was embroiled in controversy in September this year following the suicide of city-based social activist Sarita Khanchandani. In her suicide note, she reportedly named Bodare along with others, alleging abetment to suicide, after which a case was registered against him. Against this backdrop, Bodare’s induction into the BJP has also raised political questions.Another prominent leader who joined the BJP is Rajesh Wankhede, a strong three-time corporator. Wankhede had contested the Assembly elections from Ambernath last year on a Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket and had secured close to 60,000 votes, indicating his political clout in the region.Meanwhile, speaking to TOI, Kumar Ailani, BJP MLA said that it is certain the BJP will have its mayor in the upcoming municipal corporation elections.At a time when all political parties are intensifying preparations for the municipal elections, the departure of senior leaders from the Shiv Sena (UBT) in Ulhasnagar and Kalyan—who were central to election planning—has created a sense of disappointment and uncertainty among local party workers. The developments are expected to significantly impact the political equations in the civic polls.
