MH-CONG-CORPORATORS

Cong corporators oppose poll ticket to Tawre from Bhiwandi
    Thane, Mar 25 (PTI) More than 40 corporators of the
Congress in Bhiwandi Nizampur city Monday openly opposed the
party's decision to field former MP Suresh Tawre from the
Bhiwandi Lok Sabha constituency in Thane district.
    Addressing a news conference here, a section of
Congress corporators said the party should reconsider its
decision to give ticket to Tawre from Bhiwandi, a powerloom
town near here which has a large minority population.
    They threatened to resign from the Bhiwandi Nizampur
Municipal Corporation (BNMC) if their demand was not met.
    They alleged that Tawre, during his previous tenure as
the Lok Sabha MP, had done nothing for the constituency and
also the partymen.
    Ibrahim Vali Mohammad Khan, who represented the
aggrieved corporators, alleged Tawre had engaged in "anti-
party" activities and hence the Congress faced defeat from
Bhiwandi in the last lok Sabha elections.
    In 2014, the seat was won by BJP MP Kapil Patil.
    The corporators demanded that vice-president of the
Thane ZP Suresh Balya Mhatre, a Shiv Sena leader, be given the
Congress ticket instead of Tawre.
    "We will take up this issue with the high command and
if the party remains adamant on its decision we will
resign en masse," they warned.
    When contacted, city Mayor Javed Dalvi of the Congress
said he supported the party's decision and sought to know why
anyone should oppose Tawre's candidature.
    Tawre was not available for comment. PTI COR
RSY RSY