Now Reading: Mumbai mayor denies writing letter for BMC education advisor post
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Mumbai mayor denies writing letter for BMC education advisor post
Mumbai mayor Ritu Tawde has denied writing a letter recommending the appointment of Shrenik Kotecha as an honorary advisor for new educational initiatives in BMC schools. The March 4 letter, allegedly signed by Tawde, was addressed to education committee chairperson Rajshree Shirwadkar.
The controversy follows reports linking Kotecha to MT Educare, which recently shut its coaching centres. Kotecha left MT Educare in 2021. Tawde told media she did not know Kotecha and called the letter fake, stating it had not been inwarded or outwarded from her office. Shirwadkar said she received and forwarded the letter. The alleged letter cited the need to improve BMC school education under the National Education Policy.
Political observers attribute the row to rivalry within the BJP. Shirwadkar has written to additional commissioner Avinash Dhakne seeking action on the recommendation. Sources said the education department, not the mayor, handles such appointments.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The dispute over a purported letter reveals fault lines inside the Mumbai BJP unit ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, which are due later this year. The mayor’s office has no formal role in school appointments, so the alleged recommendation, even if genuine, would be advisory. The education committee chairperson, however, has admitted to forwarding the letter, creating a procedural ambiguity. The next signal to watch is whether the BJP leadership intervenes publicly or lets the intra-party rivalry play out in the corporation’s standing committee.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
