MNS conspired against Sena's 'Dalit mayor', alleges RPI

MUMBAI: RPI(A) chief Ramdas Athawale today alleged a conspiracy by the MNS to defame Mumbai Mayor Snehal Ambekar through an audio sting and announced his party's support to the Sena leader.

"We will foil the MNS bid to defame Ambekar, who is a Dalit and a woman given chance to be Mayor by the Sena," Athawale said.

"We demand that there be a probe into the audio sting," he said.

An audio tape released by Sandeep Deshpande, MNS group leader in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), of his alleged conversation with Ambekar over Rs 100 crore development fund has sparked a controversy in political circles.

The mayor has the right to distribute funds worth Rs 100 crore reserved from the main BMC budget to corporators at her discretion for development work in their respective wards. MNS had alleged that Ambekar was distributing funds in connivance with contractors by taking percentages from corporators.

Ambekar has filed a police complaint against Deshpande.