22 September,2026 08:57 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
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A dispute broke out during the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) general body meeting on Monday after Mayor Harshali Chaudhari stopped Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) corporator Pralhad Mhatre from reciting a devotional poem before raising a civic issue.
Mhatre is known for beginning his statements in the municipal hall by reciting verses from devotional poems that he says are relevant to the subject under discussion. However, during Monday's meeting, the mayor asked him to skip the recitation and proceed directly with his argument, leading to protests and an uproar in the House.
The incident took place during a discussion on a proposal concerning the lease of two commercial premises owned by the civic body at Sahajanand Chowk in Kalyan West.
While speaking on the proposal, Mhatre questioned the terms of the proposed lease, pointing out that the property had been valued at Rs 10,39,000, while the annual rent was proposed at only Rs 59,056.
Mhatre then sought a few seconds from the mayor to begin his argument by reciting an 'abhang'. However, Chaudhari rang the House bell to signal an interruption and directed him to leave out the recitation and address the issue directly.
The mayor's decision led to protests from members of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The party is currently in an alliance with the MNS in the KDMC, adding a political dimension to the dispute during the civic body's meeting.
The exchange disrupted the proceedings as members objected to the manner in which Mhatre was prevented from beginning his intervention. Mhatre, however, proceeded to raise his concerns about the proposed lease of the civic properties.
The episode also drew attention because Mhatre has routinely used devotional verses while making interventions in the municipal hall. His practice of opening statements with verses linked to the subject being discussed is known among members of the civic body.
Despite the objections raised during the proceedings, the proposal was taken forward. On the instructions of the mayor, civic secretary Kishor Shelke announced that the proposal had been passed and moved on to the next item on the agenda.
The decision to proceed with the proposal came even as the dispute over Mhatre's intervention had caused an uproar in the House.
The issue centred not only on the manner in which the discussion was conducted but also on the financial terms of the proposed lease. Mhatre had questioned why a property valued at Rs 10,39,000 was being leased for an annual rent of Rs 59,056.
Following the meeting, Mhatre said he had submitted a formal complaint to the civic chief regarding the lease issue.
The complaint is expected to place the focus back on the financial aspects of the proposal, particularly the valuation of the municipal properties and the annual rent proposed under the lease arrangement.
The incident comes amid the ongoing political alliance between the MNS and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the KDMC.
(With inputs from PTI)
