In a major development ahead of the mayor election in Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC), in Mumbai suburbs, Shiv Sena (UBT) has accused its arch-rival Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena of foul play after two of its newly elected corporators vanished.

The Kalyan unit of Uddhav Thackeray's Sena filed a formal police complaint regarding the sudden disappearance of Madhur Umesh Mhatre and Kirti Rajan Dhone, both corporators. The party said that they made every attempt, including reaching out to families, relatives, all party leaders and other relevant contacts, but could not locate Mhatre and Dhone.

Their phone has remained switched off since then. UBT district chief Sharad Shivraj Patil lodged an FIR at Kolsewadi police station, demanding an investigation into the missing persons case.

"The phones of the two corporators are switched off. Their sudden disappearance is not limited to personal security but is related to democratic values, law and order and public trust. The possibility of pressure, fraud, kidnapping or other criminal nature behind this incident cannot be ruled out," Patil said in his complaint.

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Senior inspector Ganesh Nayinde confirmed the missing corporators' complaint and said a probe was underway, with seven Sena (UBT) corporators already registering as a group under leader Umesh Borgaonkar.

A group of seven corporators from the Shiv Sena (UBT) has registered with the Konkan Commissioner. Umesh Borgaonkar has been selected as the group leader.

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The development comes on the heels of an unprecedented alliance between Shinde's Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray's MNS. In the recently concluded KDMC elections, Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 53 seats, followed by ally BJP with 50 seats. UBT won 11 seats while MNS won 5 seats.

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With Shiv Sena-MNS tie-up, the tally stands at 58, and with the BJP's strength, it reaches 108 out of a total of 122 seats.

However, if Shinde's Sena gets 62 on its own, it will not need the BJP, and hence the disappearance of corporators is being linked to Eknath Shinde.

(With PTI Inputs)