Ahead of International Women’s Day, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) witnessed a ‘pink revolution’ of sorts as for the first time in its 75-year history, all the 10 subject committees would be headed by women at a time. Meanwhile, NMC got in the groove as the House, at its second sitting on Tuesday, finalised the nomination of members to all important Standing Panel plus other subject committees, including Transport and Water Works. Mayor Neeta Thakre presided over the meeting, held in Suresh Bhat auditorium.

 

The process involved nominations of members by the parties as per the respective strength. There are now three blocks, one of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party plus one member of Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar), second one of Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Indian National Congress plus Shiv Sena (UBT) and third one Muslim Bahujan Vikas Aghadi formed by joining of hands by AIMIM and IUML. The formula of nominating the members was worked out in respect to respective bloc strength of the parties in the House, with ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) taking the lion’s share. Ruling Party Leader Narendra alias Balya Borkar, Leader of Opposition Sanjay Mahakalkar and AIMIM’s Shakeel Patel, the Group Leader of Bahujan Aghadi, submitted names of their respective groups for nomination to various committees to Mayor who then announced the same in the House. Although the names of Chairperson of all the committees are yet to be formally named, the formality is completed during the first meeting of respective subject committee. But as per the convention, first name taken by Mayor while announcing nomination of members to respective Committee is assumed to be the next chairperson.

 

So for the all important Standing Committee, Shivani Wakhre is going to the next Chairperson. This is her first term as corporator and was zeroed in by party leadership to head the financial panel of the NMC. She has been elected to NMC House from Prabhag 36 in South West assembly segment represented by the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Shivani has worked in Chief Minster’s office as Investment Advisor and was active with ABVP, the students wing, and later BJP’s women’s wing before taking formal role in BJP. As per party leaders, Shivani is being groomed for a bigger role and it is contended that she would head the Standing Committee for a period of two-and-a-half years. Other Committee Chairpersons would have a term of one year only.