BJP Symbol In Bhiwandi Mayor's Office Sparks Buzz; Narayan Chaudhary Says He Stays With Secular Front

Bhiwandi: Political discussions have gained momentum in Bhiwandi after Mayor Narayan Chaudhary, who was elected with the support of the Congress and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) backed Bhiwandi Secular Front, was seen wearing the BJP’s lotus symbol at a Ganeshotsav programme attended by Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan on Wednesday.

The appearance of the BJP symbol on Chaudhary’s chest led to speculation in local political circles about a possible return to the BJP. However, Chaudhary has denied that he has rejoined or is planning to join the BJP, and maintained that he continues to be the mayor of the Bhiwandi Secular Front.

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Political speculation in Bhiwandi

Chaudhary had emerged as the mayoral candidate of the Secular Front after differences over the BJP’s mayoral nomination. In the February 20 mayoral election, he secured 48 votes and defeated Konark Vikas Aghadi candidate Vilas Patil, who received 25 votes, while BJP candidate Sneha Patil polled 16 votes. Available reports from the election said Chaudhary was supported by 42 corporators of the Congress-NCP (SP) alliance, along with six BJP corporators who backed him.

On Wednesday, BJP state president Ravindra Chavan visited the Ekta Ka Raja Ganeshotsav organised by the Dhamankar Naka Mitra Mandal. Chaudhary was present to welcome Chavan in his capacity as the city’s mayor. During the programme, Santosh Shetty, the mandal president and BJP group leader in the civic body, placed the BJP lotus symbol on Chaudhary’s chest.

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Chaudhary denies BJP return

‘I remain Secular Front mayor’

Explaining his presence at the programme, Chaudhary said he had attended the event as the city’s first citizen to welcome Chavan.

According to Chaudhary, Shetty placed the BJP symbol on him during the welcome. He said he did not remove it in front of the BJP state president, but stressed that this did not amount to his joining the BJP.

I have not joined the BJP. I am still the mayor of the Bhiwandi Secular Front, Chaudhary said.

Chavan, when asked about Chaudhary’s presence with the BJP symbol, described him as an old friend and said the BJP was like a family. “Narayan Chaudhary is our old friend and the BJP is a family. He has joined because of the family,” Chavan said.

There has been no formal announcement from the BJP regarding Chaudhary’s return to the party.

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Secular Front seeks clarification

The development has also prompted leaders of the Secular Front to seek clarification from the mayor.

Congress group leader and Deputy Mayor Tariq Abdul Bari Momin and NCP (SP) group leader Musarrat Arshad Ansari sent a letter to Chaudhary on September 23, asking him to clarify his political position.

In the letter, the two leaders said the Congress and NCP (SP) corporators had formed the Bhiwandi Secular Front with the stated objective of addressing the city’s long-standing development-related concerns. They said 42 corporators from the two parties had supported Chaudhary’s leadership during the mayoral election.

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The leaders also claimed that before being nominated for the mayoral post, Chaudhary had joined the Secular Front at Tilak Bhavan in the presence of Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal and NCP (SP) MP Suresh Mhatre, popularly known as Balya Mama. They said Chaudhary had assured the alliance that he would work on the basis of secular principles.

The letter further referred to a video showing Chaudhary wearing the BJP symbol and said the development had raised questions about his earlier political commitment to the Secular Front. The leaders asked him to clarify his position before the people of Bhiwandi and the corporators.

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