AGENCY
NEW DELHI, june 11
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena named 12 leaders on Wednesday to fight the forthcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. The move came as soon as the Maharashtra government issued orders to municipal corporations, municipalities and town councils to form municipal wards as well as the population criteria applicable for the formation of these wards. After the government order regarding the wards structure of the BMC was issued, it became clear that elections will be held in Mumbai as per the old wards.
Accordingly, 227 single-member wards will be formed in the BMC, while Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Pimpri Chinchwad, Chhatrapati Sambha-jinagar, and all other municipal corporations will have four-member wards.
According to the government notification, the number of corporators to be elected to the BMC has been capped at 227, with each ward in Mumbai electing one corporator.
The main electoral battle during the forthcoming local civic body and municipal polls, is expected to be between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance including the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar-led NCP and the Congress. However, at the local level, political parties are expected to adopt independent strategies, prioritising winnability over alliance dynamics.
In the 2022 Mumbai civic elections, the BJP made significant gains, narrowing the gap with the then-undivided Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena won 84 seats, BJP won 82 seats, Congress won 31 seats, and the undivided NCP won 9 seats, while Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Samajwadi Party, the Owaisi-led AIMIM, and independents won other seats.
As soon as the government notification was announced, Uddhav Thackeray appointed 12 leaders who have been entrusted with election responsibilities and announced their names as well as the areas they will handle. Amol Kirtikar will look after Dahisar, Borivali and Magathane, while Uddhav Kadam has been entrusted with Charkop, Kandivali and Malad West. Vilas Potnis will be responsible for Dindoshi, Goregaon, and Jogeshwari East, while Vishwasrao Nerurkar will look after Versova, Andheri East and Andheri West. Ravindra Mirlekar has been given the responsibility of Vile Parle, Bandra East and Bandra West, while Gurunath Khot will handle Chandivali, Kalina (Santacruz) and Kurla. Nitin Nandgaonkar has been entrusted with the central suburbs of Vikhroli, Bhandup and Mulund, while Subodh Acharya will look after Ghatkopar East, Ghatkopar West as well as Shivajinagar-Mankhurd. Similarly, Manoj Jamsutkar will be responsible for Anushakti Nagar, Chembur and Sion Koliwada, while Arun Dudhwadkar has been entrusted with Dharavi, Mahim and Wadala.
Ashok Dhatrak has been entrusted with Worli, Dadar and Sewri, Sachin Ahir will be responsible for Malabar Hill and Colaba, Uddhav Thackeray stated.
According to the recently issued government order, wards will be formed for ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ class municipal corporations in Maharashtra and these include major municipal corporations of Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Kalyan-Dombivli.
The Maharashtra government has given clear instructions regarding the ward structure in the respective municipalities, and a policy has been decided to determine the wards according to the population criteria. Guidelines about ward formation have been given to the Divisional Commissioners and District Collectors, and it has been announced that a final plan based on this ward structure will be prepared soon.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here on Wednesday that the local civic body (municipal) polls will be fought jointly by the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.
“Our state president, working president, and election committee have the right to decide about the alliance in the local body elections and nobody else. Our role is to contest the elections under the Mahayuti. In some places, where it is not possible, there will be friendly contests,” he said.
