Political tensions have surged in Maharashtra following dramatic developments in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation, where the disappearance of two newly elected corporators has triggered allegations of political manipulation and intensified the post-election power struggle.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) unit in Kalyan has approached the police after losing contact with corporators Madhur Umesh Mhatre and Kirti Rajan Dhone, both of whom were elected in the recent civic polls. As per party leaders, repeated attempts to reach the two corporators through their families, relatives, and colleagues have failed, with their mobile phones remaining switched off since Friday.
A formal complaint was filed at the Kolsewadi police station by local Sena (UBT) leaders, seeking a missing persons investigation. Party functionaries have expressed concern that the sudden disappearance could undermine democratic processes and public confidence, especially at a time when numbers in the civic body are crucial for forming the next administration.
Police officials have confirmed that an inquiry is underway and that statements from party representatives are being recorded as part of the investigation. Authorities are examining all possible angles to trace the missing corporators and establish the circumstances surrounding their absence.
The episode comes amid a major political shift in the civic body. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced that his faction of the Shiv Sena has secured majority support in the corporation with backing from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). This support has reshaped the post-poll arithmetic and altered expectations formed during the campaign.
The January 15 election results produced a fractured mandate, with no single party securing a clear majority on its own. The new alignment between the Shinde-led Sena and the MNS has changed the balance of power, leaving opposition groups scrambling to respond.
Shinde’s camp has described the MNS support as issue-based and focused on local development rather than ideology. The new equation is expected to pave the way for the ruling alliance to control key positions in the civic body, including the mayor’s post.
