Ulhasnagar Corporator Pooja Sachin Bhoir Disqualified Over Caste Certificate
Shiv Sena corporator Pooja Sachin Bhoir has been disqualified from the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) in Ulhasnagar after her caste validity certificate was declared invalid. The decision has delivered a fresh political setback to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the local civic body.
Municipal Commissioner Manisha Awhale issued the official order cancelling Bhoir's membership from Ward No. 1(B). This particular ward is reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (Women) category. The disqualification order was issued following a decision by the District Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, which invalidated the caste certificate that Bhoir had submitted during the civic elections.
This development comes just one month after another major blow to the party's strength in the corporation. Recently, the membership of Shiv Sena corporator Vicky Labana from Ward 6(A) was also cancelled. Together, these two disqualifications have significantly reduced the Shiv Sena's representation in the civic body.
The change in numbers has brought the political equations within the UMC back into focus. Currently, the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) jointly share power in the Ulhasnagar civic body. Under the existing arrangement, the Shiv Sena holds the Mayor's post while the BJP holds the Deputy Mayor's post.
Despite being alliance partners in the municipal corporation, the Shiv Sena and the BJP have frequently been at loggerheads over the control of the local administration. The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the civic elections by winning 37 seats and has repeatedly indicated its desire to install its own Mayor in Ulhasnagar.
Before the disqualifications of Bhoir and Labana, the Shiv Sena held 36 seats. The party also enjoyed the support of two Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi corporators, one SAI Party corporator, and one Independent corporator, which had previously secured a comfortable majority for the ruling alliance. The recent disqualifications now threaten to shift the balance of power in favor of the BJP.
