The vegetarian buildings versus non-vegetarian buyers issue may just be the precursor to what is in store for BJP in the run up to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) election, scheduled to be held in the beginning of 2017. As reported in dna earlier, BJP is mulling over going solo.

According to sources in BMC, the resolution developers who refuse to sell flats to non-vegetarians be denied crucial nods may just have been used to show BJP's alleged proximity to a certain community. Sources said the alleged arrogant behaviour of BJP unit in the corporation post the party's triumph in the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections this year is also a key reason for it being isolated over the issue.

According to the resolution passed on Thursday, BMC will not issue intimation of disapproval (IOD), commencement certificate (CC) and water connections to developers who engage in such practices.

"When we approved the resolution, only BJP opposed the proposal. All of us know a majority of developers belong to which community. We aren't against them for being developers or belonging to that community, but people are being deprived of homes based on what they eat. BJP, which was supported by people from all segments, though, chose to support the anti-non-vegetarian view. Ideally, it should have supported the resolution as it is in public interest," the source from opposition benches said.

When asked, Dilip Patel, former deputy mayor and BJP's ex-group leader in the corporation, ridiculed the claims that BJP protected a certain community. "Do they mean vegetarians belong to certain community alone? There are vegetarians in all communities. There are vegetarian and non-vegetarians staying in one family. There is no truth in the allegation... Our point is each of us has the right to sell our property to whoever we want. That right must be protected," Patel said, adding that BJP has already sensed that two regional parties are trying to come together in city before the civic polls.

He also refuted the allegation of the party unit behaving arrogantly. "Whoever has evidence to prove the allegation can bring it to our notice. Our men have always conducted themselves in the right manner," he added.

Communal politics? Rais Shaikh, Samajwadi Party's (SP) group leader in the BMC, lodged a complaint against Patel and his BJP counterpart Manoj Kotak before mayor Snehal Ambekar. In the complaint, Shaikh has alleged the duo was allegedly engaged in communal politics during the general body meeting on Thursday, which can create a rift between two communities. Shaikh demanded that Ambekar ensure the two fall in line. When asked, Patel termed the allegation as baseless. Kotak retorted, "In fact, SP corporators were engaged in the very thing they are alleging. Let the mayor inquire... She knows what happened."

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Civic resolution against builders a trap for BJP?