Chandrapur: In a stunning political twist that sent shockwaves through the Congress camp, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pulled off a dramatic upset on Tuesday, capturing the Mayor’s post in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation (CMC), not on its own strength, but with decisive backing from six Shiv Sena (UBT) Corporators who defied their party’s top leadership.
The result came down to a single vote.
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Feb 11th, 2026 - Time 11.45Hrs
BJP’s Sangeeta Khandekar edged past Congress candidate Vaishali Mahadule by 32 votes to 31 in a nail-biting contest that rewrote the city’s political script within minutes. What appeared to be a straightforward power play turned into a cliffhanger, and ultimately, a rebellion.
High command says ‘No’, local leaders say ‘Yes’
The political drama intensified because barely an hour before voting began, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut had publicly declared in Mumbai that party chief Uddhav Thackeray had directed Corporators to sit in the Opposition and not support the BJP under any circumstances.
But in Chandrapur, the message was ignored.
Six Shiv Sena (UBT) Corporators broke ranks and backed the BJP, effectively tilting the scales. The move blindsided Congress, which had emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats in the 66-member House.
BJP had secured 23 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) 6, Bharatiya Shetkari Kamgar Paksh (Janvikas Sena) 3, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) 2, while AIMIM, BSP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) had one each. Two Independents had also won.
The magic number to claim power was 34. However, the equation shifted dramatically when VBA Corporators stayed away from the proceedings and AIMIM’s lone Corporator Azhar Sheikh chose to remain neutral. This effectively brought the winning threshold down to 32, precisely the number the BJP managed to secure.
Deal in the shadows?
Soon after the upset victory, Sandeep Girhe, district chief of Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Thackeray faction, defended the decision, citing “lack of cooperation” from the Congress.
Political observers, however, pointed to a carefully negotiated arrangement. As per the reported understanding, the BJP will hold the Mayor’s post for the first 15 months, after which Shiv Sena (UBT) will assume the top chair. The Deputy Mayor’s post will remain with Shiv Sena (UBT) for the entire five-year term, and the party will also chair the Standing Committee in the first and fourth years.
If true, the alliance represents a tactical realignment that could have deeper political consequences beyond Chandrapur.
Deputy Mayor chosen by luck
The drama did not end with the Mayor’s election.
The Deputy Mayor’s post went to Prashant Danav of Shiv Sena (UBT), through a lucky draw after votes resulted in a tie-like situation, adding another unexpected twist to the day’s high-stakes proceedings.
Last-minute withdrawals and direct face-off
Out of 10 nomination forms filed for the Mayor’s post, five candidates withdrew within the 15-minute withdrawal window, including Manasvi Girhe, Sangeeta Bhoyar, Sangeeta Amritkar, Sunanda Dhobe and Sarika Sandurkar, clearing the path for a direct showdown between Congress’ Mahadule and BJP’s Khandekar.
The final count: 31 for Congress, 32 for BJP.
One vote. One rebellion. One political earthquake.
For Deputy Mayor, six nominations were initially filed, but withdrawals led to a simplified contest that ultimately required drawing lots to determine the winner.
As results were declared, BJP leaders including MLAs Kishore Jorgewar and Deorao Bhongle, District President Harish Sharma, along with senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders, rushed to the CMC premises to congratulate the newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
Presiding Officer and Collector Vinay Gowda conducted the proceedings in the presence of Municipal Commissioner Akunuri Naresh and senior civic officials.
But while celebrations erupted in one camp, stunned silence prevailed in another.
The Congress, which had emerged as the single largest party, watched power slip away in the final moments, not because of numbers it lacked, but because of numbers that crossed over.
In Chandrapur’s municipal politics, the day will be remembered not for arithmetic, but for defiance.
