India, Aug. 21 -- In a setback for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), the caste verification committee in Palghar district has declared as invalid the caste certificate of former mayor and sitting Dadar corporator Vishakha Raut. Unless the senior Sena (UBT) leader obtains a stay from the same authority, her election as corporator is likely to be cancelled, officials said.

Raut, formerly an MLA from Dadar, is considered close to the Thackeray family and is a member of several trusts which control Sena (UBT) properties. During the civic polls last year, she contested from ward number 191 in Dadar, reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBC), and defeated Priya Sarvankar, daughter of former Dadar MLA Sada Sarvankar.

Speaking to report...