November 29, 2025: A political confrontation broke out between the BJP and Congress on Friday over who should be credited for the redevelopment of a BMC school in Andheri (W). The dispute emerged during an event where BJP minister Ashish Shelar, while addressing the gathering, praised BJP MLA Ameet Satam for his contribution toward the school’s redevelopment. Former Congress corporator Meher Haider objected, asserting that the project had actually begun in 2017 using her corporator funds. Police later intervened to move her and her supporters aside to prevent further disruption.
Reacting to the incident, Satam said, “This was a school event where children were present, and they created a ruckus. It shows their criminal intent.” The redevelopment project involved demolishing the old school structure and constructing a new one at a cost of ₹25 crore. Although work began in 2017, it was delayed during the COVID-induced lockdown. Meher Haider’s corporator tenure ended in March 2022, and with no civic elections held since due to legal hurdles, the BMC continues to be administered by the municipal commissioner.
Meher’s husband, former corporator Mohsin Haider, also contested the BJP’s claim, stating that the project’s approval and funding were secured before 2022 through their persistent follow-ups with the then BMC chief, adding that Satam had no involvement in the process.
In a separate development, a Congress delegation led by MP Varsha Gaikwad and MLA Amin Patel met State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare to demand a thorough clean-up of the voter lists ahead of the upcoming BMC elections. The party highlighted issues such as duplicate entries and voters being arbitrarily shifted across wards, urging immediate corrective action to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process.
Source: The Times of India
