BJP Dy Mayor in Aurangabad resigns, blames Sena-led MVA govt

The repercussions of the split in the BJP-Shiv Sena saffron alliance after the Maharashtra polls were felt in the Aurangabad civic body, which is being ruled by the two estranged allies, with BJP's Deputy Mayor of the city, Vijay Autade, resigning from his post on Friday.

Autade made the announcement about his resignation during the general body meeting of the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), accusing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of stalling a water supply scheme in the city, which was sanctioned by former CM Devendra Fadnavis.

As soon the general body meeting began this afternoon, Autade, who was sitting on the dais next to Mayor Nandkumar Ghodele, came down and sat with his party corporators.

When the mayor told him that his act was not as per the protocol, Autade said he did so as he was against the Thackeray government's decision to put a stay on the water supply scheme sanctioned for the city.

He also announced in the House that he would resign from the post.

Talking to PTI later, Autade said, "Shiv Sena and BJP contested the Aurangabad civic polls in alliance in 2015. The city will go to polls in April 2020...The projects which were sanctioned for the welfare of the city during the tenure of former CM Devendra Fadnavis have now been brought to a halt."