‘Kalani DNA of crime’ vs ‘Manchekar gang member’: BJP-Sena war gets personal in Ulhasnagar

ULHASNAGAR: The BJP-Sena feud in Ulhasnagar has taken a sharp and personal turn, with the

BJP alleging that the entry of people associated with the Kalani group — whom it described as having a “criminal DNA” — into the Shiv Sena was deliberately damaging the BJP-Sena alliance.

All BJP's 37 corporators also unanimously declared that they will not work for Shiv Sena MP Dr Shrikant Shinde, son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, from Kalyan Loksabha.

In a counterattack, Shiv Sena leader and husband of Ulhasnagar mayor Ashwini Nikam, Kamlesh Nikam, directly targeted Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan, alleging that several criminal cases were registered against him and going a step further to describe him as a “member of the Manchekar gang”.

The war of words follows the bitter dispute over the appointment of seven nominated corporators in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC), with the local BJP leadership now deciding to end its alliance with the Shiv Sena in the civic body.

However, the BJP's local decision is not a final decision on the alliance at the higher political level. The Ulhasnagar BJP unit has conveyed to its senior leadership that it does not want to continue the alliance with the Shiv Sena in the civic body.

The final decision on whether the BJP will formally remain in an alliance with the Shiv Sena in the UMC will be taken by the party's top leadership.

The local BJP leadership has decided to sit in the opposition in the civic body instead of continuing to work with the Sena. The decision was conveyed by BJP district president Rajesh Vadhrya, MLA Kumar Ailani and other local leaders following the nominated-corporator controversy.

The BJP has also announced that its local unit will not cooperate with Kalyan Lok Sabha MP Dr Shrikant Shinde in future election-related work, further escalating tensions between the two Mahayuti partners.

BJP leaders claimed that their differences were not with traditional Shiv Sena workers and that several old Shiv Sainiks continued to maintain good relations with the BJP. However, the BJP alleged that the entry of people associated with the Pappu Kalani group into the Shiv Sena had changed the political equation in Ulhasnagar.

BJP leaders alleged that after people associated with the Kalani group entered the Sena and Ashwini Nikam became mayor, decisions in the civic body were being taken in a manner detrimental to the BJP.

The BJP specifically targeted the nominated-corporator appointment process, alleging that despite having 37 corporators, it was given only two of the seven nominated posts, while the Sena and its supporters secured five. The BJP has said it will challenge the mayor's decision in court.

The Shiv Sena has rejected the BJP's allegations and launched a counterattack. Arun Ashan, group leader of Shiv Sena in UMC said the BJP claiming that it would not work for Shrikant Shinde, but alleged that BJP leaders had not extended full support to Shinde even during the previous election.

Ashan claimed that the Shiv Sena had supported BJP MLA candidates including Sulabha Gaikwad, Ravindra Chavan and Kumar Ailani during their respective elections. He warned that if the BJP-Sena confrontation continued, the Shiv Sena would work against the BJP's three MLAs in the next election.

Meanwhile Nikam directly targeted state BJP president Ravindra Chavan. He alleged that while the BJP was accusing people associated with the Kalani group of having criminal backgrounds, Chavan himself was linked to the “Manchekar gang” and described him as a “member” of the group.

Nikam demanded that Chavan be removed as state BJP president, claiming that his continuation in the post would further widen the differences between the two alliance partners. The allegations against Chavan were made by Nikam and have not been independently established.

After Shiv Sena's press conference, BJP Ulhasnagar district president Rajesh Vadhrya again hold press conference and hit back at Nikam, saying the Kamlesh Nikam had no standing to make allegations against the state BJP president. Vadhrya said the BJP would demonstrate its position through action rather than statements.

Vadhrya also levelled allegations against former Ulhasnagar MLA Pappu Kalani, claiming that Kalani was sentenced life imprisonment till death but had secured release from prison after submitting a false health report. Vadhrya further alleged that cases had been registered against Omie Kalani, Kamlesh Nikam and Manoj Lassi.

The latest confrontation began with the appointment of seven nominated corporators in the UMC. The BJP had argued that its numerical strength entitled it to four of the seven positions, while the Shiv Sena should have received three. However, two BJP nominees and five Sena nominees were ultimately declared by Mayor.

The BJP has challenged the process and alleged that the mayor's decision was contrary to the numerical strength of the parties. The Sena's position is that of the four candidates proposed by the BJP, only two were valid, while the remaining positions were filled through the prescribed process.

The dispute escalated further on Saturday night when BJP office-bearers, angered by Kamlesh Nikam’s personal remarks against the state BJP president threatened Nikam to teach lessons reach near his residence.

Police reached the spot soon after. A short while later, Shiv Sena workers also assembled outside the residence in support of Nikam, leading to a tense atmosphere for some time. The police subsequently increased security in the area, after which members of both groups left the spot.

With the local BJP unit deciding to withdraw from the civic alliance and sit in opposition, the dispute has now moved beyond the nominated-corporator issue.

For now, the local BJP leadership has conveyed its decision to end the civic-level alliance to the party's senior leadership. Whether the BJP formally ends its alliance with the Shiv Sena in the UMC will depend on the decision of the party's top leadership.

The episode has also opened a new front between the two Mahayuti partners, with BJP leaders targeting the Kalani group and Sena leaders directly attacking the state BJP leadership.