DAYASHANKAR Tiwari was chosen as the 54th Mayor of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Tuesday in the election that would go down in the pages of history for its uniqueness. The special general body meeting of civic body was held virtually where Tiwari won with thumping majority in a triangular contest. Tuesday’s on-line meeting held to elect Mayor and Deputy Mayor is single such instance in the country.

 

Till date not one civic body had used video conferencing for purpose of routine election. But Urban Development Department (UDD) of Maharashtra Government had its way as it directed civic administration to go for virtual platform for the election meeting of general body owing to COVID-19 concerns. Similarly, at the same meeting BJP’s Manisha Dhawde was also chosen as the Deputy Mayor. She however is the 56th Deputy Mayor of NMC and represents Prabhag 23 (B) of East Nagpur assembly segment in the House. With divided opposition in the House, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee had a smooth sailing despite concerns in some quarters over cross voting in view of on-line mode of voting. But since show of hands was decided as mode for election, the element of secrecy got over and thus it ensured smooth sailing for Tiwari and Manisha Dhawde in the election.

 

 

Both the BJP nominee secured 107 votes, the total strength of BJP in the House. Congress Party managed to overcome internal differences and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates for post of Mayor, Manoj Gawande, and Mangala Gawre for Deputy Mayor, withdrew their nominations in favour of Ramesh Punekar and Rashmi Dhurve respectively. Punekar and Dhurve names were proposed by group owing allegiance to Vikas Thakare, MLA, and President, Nagpur City (District) Congress Committee. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had put up Narendra Walde and Vaishali Narnaware for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively.The group remained intact and their nominees secured all 10 votes, the strength of BSP in the NMC House. The Congress Party had effective strength of 28 in the House but two of its members, namely Purshottam Hazare and Bunty Shelke did not attend the meeting and was marked as absent.

 

Though Punekar was MVA nominee, even Kishor Kumeriya of Shiv Sena chose to stay away from the virtual meeting. So from total strength of 31 of MVA in the House, Punekar got only 27 votes. Two other corporators who were absent from the meet were Abha Pande, she is an Independent corporator, and opted to stay away from election process, and other one was Gargi Chopra, she was earlier with Congress Party but later switched over to BJP camp. At the Deputy Mayor poll later Dhawde easily overcame challenge posed by Congress's Rashmi Dhurve and BSP's Vaishali Narnaware. BJP's nominee for Mayor and Deputy Mayor post bagged 107 votes, the total strength of ruling party in the House. Ravindra Thakare, District Collector, presided over the special general body meeting held through webex platform. The election process was conducted at Standing Committee Hall of NMC at civic headquarters in Civil Lines.