Shiv Sena wins two BMC committees with BJP on its side

Mumbai: Shiv Sena today won chairmanship of the crucial Standing Committee and the Education Committee of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in an election it fought with its ruling partner BJP despite bickering between the two saffron allies.

Both the committees are considered most powerful and coveted in the richest civic body which is going to polls next year.

While Yashodhar Phanse was re-elected as chairman of Standing Committee for 2016-17, Hemangi Worlikar was elected as chairperson of Education Committee.

Phanse and Worlikar, who fought as Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI nominees, defeated Congress-NCP's candidates Sunil More and Priyatama Kumar, respectively, a BMC release stated.

BMC has 10 committees and their chairmen and chairpersons are elected through direct election.

The thaw between the warring allies was ensured after city unit BJP chief Ashish Shelar called on senior Sena leaders at the party chief Uddhav Thackeray's residence 'Matoshree', a senior BJP corporator said.

The winners were felicitated by Mayor Snehal Ambekar.