BJP Corporators Accuse Sena Panel Chief of Bypassing Votes in BMC Improvement Committee

Discontent within the ruling alliance at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has surfaced in the civic body's Improvement Committee, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporators alleging that they are being denied a fair opportunity to debate and vote on civic proposals. The committee is chaired by Shiv Sena corporator Sandhya Doshi.

BJP members serving on the committee met with Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam last week to register their grievances regarding the panel's day-to-day functioning. During the meeting, the corporators alleged that proposals they sought to debate or put to a formal vote were being cleared by the chairperson without conducting votes.

To illustrate their grievance, a BJP corporator cited a recent redevelopment proposal concerning the amalgamation of two BMC leasehold plots in Wadala under Section 33(7) of the Development Control and Promotion Regulations. According to the corporator, Doshi proceeded to clear the Wadala proposal despite explicit requests from a BJP member that the matter not be taken up.

The Improvement Committee currently comprises nine BJP corporators and three corporators from the Shiv Sena. Under standard voting procedures, the BJP holds a clear numerical majority on the panel. However, BJP members stated that this majority is effectively being bypassed because matters are routinely cleared without formal division or voting.

In response to the complaints, Satam reportedly instructed the corporators to formally register their objections during committee meetings whenever proposals are cleared contrary to agreed positions.

A BJP functionary described the committee's recent operations as arbitrary and one-sided, further alleging that Doshi had conducted individual meetings regarding old proposals rather than bringing them forward for open discussion before the full committee.