Uncertainty looms large over the filing of nomination by Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray party candidate Rutuja Latke for Andheri (East) Assembly by-election, as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is yet to take a call on her resignation submitted to the civic body.
Ms. Latke is an administrative officer in the K ward of BMC and had tendered her resignation last month with a view to contest in the by-election necessitated following the sudden death of her husband and incumbent Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke in May this year.
With barely 48 hours to go for the last day of filing of nominations, a hectic lobbying was seen in the party cadre of Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray.
Team Uddhav alleged that the ruling Eknath Shinde-BJP government is dragging the matter of accepting Ms. Latke’s resignation so as to make her ineligible to contest.
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“They are deliberately delaying the process to make her ineligible to contest in the election. It is being done at the behest of that (Shinde) group,” a senior politician in Uddhav camp alleged.
A government employee cannot contest an election till they are relieved from service. Ms. Latke’s one month notice period is yet to be completed and the request to condone the same is still pending with BMC
“We are waiting for them to approve her resignation. The delay in the process clearly indicates that they (BMC officials) are under pressure not to accept it,” Uddhav loyalist and MP Arvind Sawant told The Hindu.
However, when contacted BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal said “its work in progress as per rules.” The Uddhav team is likely to meet Mr. Chahal to discuss the same.
It is learnt that Ms. Latke even returned her one month’s salary of ₹67,790 to the treasury and obtained a receipt for early acceptance of resignation.
