MUMBAI: Voters of Kolhapur, a vibrant Maharashtra town, are exponents of partyless democracy when it comes to running their civic affairs. Last Sunday, theyelected 64 independents to the 77-member municipal corporation, ignoring all national and regional political parties.

While the Congress did not contest the election as a party, the Nationalist Congress Party got only three seats, its ally, the Jansurajya Shakti Paksha eight, and the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party one each. This is the third time Kolhapuris have preferred independents to regular political parties.

Group formed

About 15 years ago, the independents formed a group,Tararani Front, named after a daughter-in-law of Chhatrapati Shivaji and founder of the Kolhapur throne, to take over civic affairs. Their leader is a Congress member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Mahadevrao Mahadik.

In the subsequent election, the Front contested as a loose group and co-opted several independents after the results were announced. This time also, of the elected independents, only 54 attended a preparatory meeting called by Mr. Mahadik though he claimed that as many as 62 independents belonged to the Front.

Mr. Mahadik's associates are also Congressmen. They include Chhatrapati Malojiraje Shahu, a descendant of Shivaji, who is a Congress member of the Assembly elected from Kolhapur city. Another Tararani activist is Satej Patil, an independent MLA but he has strong Congress links. The Congress party covertly backs the Front.

The Front does not allot `ticket' or field candidates as do political parties. Normally, the frontrunner of a ward is supported overtly and his or her perceived runner-up is backed covertly. The winner joins the Front. Even persons coming from political leaders' families prefer to be independent members of the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation, not having to suffer party bossism.

New Mayor every

three months

Mr. Mahadik and others keep all members happy, giving everyone a chance to hold an important civic office.

The Front changed the mayor every three months.

The NCP rejected the Congress overtures in Kolhapur and preferred to join hands with Jansurajya Shakti Paksha, its ally in government. The Congress took shelter behind the Tararani Front.

Almost all top leaders of the State NCP, including Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil and Finance Minister Jayant Patil campaigned in vain. Even the efforts of its MP, Sadashivrao Mandlik, failed.

The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance was hardly in the picture.

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