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Ganesh Naik's men come out of Sena in New Bombay

In a development which will have a far-reaching impact on the state's political scenario, sacked rebel minister Ganesh Naik's faction delinked itself from the ruling Shiv Sena at the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and set up a separate front styled as the Nagari Vikas Aghadi (city development front).

The group, under the leadership of Naik's younger brother Tukaram, has claimed the support of two more corporators, and submitted its application to the Konkan divisional commissioner seeking recognition as a separate identity.

Later, the group filed its own candidates for the mayor and deputy mayor's posts in defiance of the party whip, and declared, "We do not have to follow the decree of party chief Bal Thackeray any more since we do not belong to the Sena." The mayoral elections are to be held on May 20.

Tukaram said that the group was "particularly perturbed at the injustice done to Naik", leading to his sacking from the state cabinet last week.

He said he would work out a joint action plan with the Congress-independent combine to defeat the rival Sena camp led by former mayor Sushma Dande who, he said, was solely responsible for feeding wrong information to the party bosses against the former minister.

Tukaram also said he was disturbed that Thackeray refused him an audience to explain the true picture of the party in the city.

Navi Mumbai Congress district committee president Dnyaneshwar Ramdas Patil told UNI that he welcomed the formation of the front and would work with it as per the guidance from the party high command. "We are here to spread the Congress philosophy and of Sharad Pawar in the city and in the state", he said, and declared that the new mayor will belong to the Naik-Patil axis.

UNI

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