12 February,2026 04:38 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shiv Sena (UBT)-Congress alliance secures Parbhani mayoral win. Representational Image
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) corporator Syed Iqbal was elected the new Mayor of Parbhani city in central Maharashtra on Thursday, defeating his BJP rival Tirumala Khillare by 13 votes. He won with the support of the Congress, securing 39 votes compared to Khillare's 26, officials said.
Congress corporator Ganesh Deshmukh was elected Deputy Mayor of Parbhani.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress had formed a pre-poll alliance for the January 15 elections to the 65-member Parbhani City Municipal Corporation (PCMC). In the results, Shiv Sena (UBT) emerged as the single largest party with 25 seats, while Congress won 12.
The alliance, with 37 votes in total, also received support from an independent and a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator, which ensured a comfortable victory in the Mayoral poll.
Talking to reporters, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Jadhav said: "I had earlier said the next Mayor of Parbhani will be from our party. Whatever happened in Chandrapur was limited to that city. We had a pre-poll alliance with Congress here in Parbhani. We stayed together and also received support from an independent and an NCP corporator. We have given the first Mayor from our party," as per PTI reports.
Iqbal is the first Shiv Sena (UBT) Mayor of Parbhani, a post that was previously held by the Congress for multiple terms.
The BJP criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) for choosing Iqbal, a Muslim candidate, accusing the party of ignoring the interests of Marathi manoos (local Marathi population).
"Uddhav Thackeray is taking forward the agenda of Aurangzeb in Parbhani. They take the name of Marathi manoos before elections, but when time comes to install a Mayor, they field a Muslim candidate," said State BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban as per PTI reports.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandip Deshpande defended Iqbal's nomination by entrusting the new Mayor. He said that his work was important and that he has belief that Iqbal will work in the interset of the city. He further questioned the claims of a Mulsim Mayor by saying, "are Muslims not allowed to live in the country?"
Shiv Sena (UBT): 25 seats
BJP: 12 seats
Congress: 12 seats
NCP: 11 seats
Jan Surajya Shakti: 3 seats
Yeshwant Sena: 1 seat
Independent: 1 seat
The smooth conduct of the Parbhani Mayoral poll comes just after controversy in Chandrapur, where Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators joined hands with the BJP, leading to political tension in central Maharashtra.
