Irked partymen attack TMC Deputy Mayor Milind Patankar on Shivsena nominee defeat

THANE: Thane Deputy Mayor and BJP city president Milind Patankar was on Monday allegedly attacked by an angry mob of Shivsena and BJP activists over the defeat of Sena nominee Pappu Kadam in elections to the Civic Transport Committee Chairman here.

The elections were held in the TMC headquarters here in which lone BJP member Ajay Joshi defected and voted against Kadam. As a result, NCP nominee Sailesh Bhagat got elected as the Committee Chairman by just one vote.

While Bhagat polled four votes, Kadam secured three in the election in which district Collector P Velrasu was the returning officer.

Soon, tempers ran high in the Corporation as the news of the defeat of Sena nominee spread. Sainiks rushed to the office of the Deputy Mayor accompanied by irate BJP activists and flung chairs at him and even roughed him up.

BJP leader Raju Kale who came to the rescue of Patankar, was also abused and chided by the mob.

The NCP was jubilant over the win of Bhagat with Jitendra Awhad and his men celebrating.

BJP and Sena men then marched to the residence of Joshi and Patankar staging protests.