Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena (Shinde) cleared seven names for their co-option to House of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), while Congress chose to go with two, while AIMIM named one to complete the quota. The BJP has chosen a mix of young and old turks, rewarding loyalty and party work, and also left one seat to ally, Shiv Sena. From BJP, those selected were Devendra Meher (East Nagpur), Vinod Baghel (West Nagpur), Sanjay Thakre (South Nagpur), Jeetu Thakur (North Nagpur), Ritesh Gawande (South West Nagpur) and Subodh Acharya (Central Nagpur). Of the six, Acharya had tried to contest the civic election in Mahal area as rebel, but was persuaded by the leadership to withdraw and was rewarded with co-option.

 

The Shiv Sena (Shinde) has nominated its city unit chief, Suraj Goje to the NMC House. Goje has been active with undivided Shiv Sena, and is quite a well-known name in social circles in Central Nagpur. But somehow, lady luck did not favour him till now. Post switchover to Shiv Sena (Shinde), Goje will finally make it to NMC House as a corporator. From Congress, the party has given chance to businessman and prominent face in Central Nagpur, Atul Kotecha. The second one nominated is Ketan Thakre, son of Vikas Thakre, MLA and President, Nagpur City (District) Congress Committee, which was on expected lines. Congress: Meanwhile, nomination of Ketan Thakre has led to resentment in the local rank and file. Kamlesh Samarth, one of the long time Congress loyalists, has sent in his resignation from the primary membership of party to State unit chief Harshawardhan Sapkal. Samarth said, injustice has been done to him. He urged Sapkal to review as to past performance of nominated members to NMC House. 

 

 

What should have been smooth affair for AIMIM-IUML to get one of their own as co-opted member to NMC House exposed infighting over the move to nominate Narendra Jichkar. In process, the post election tie-up ended up loosing time to get their member nominated. Wednesday was the last date for submission of nomination of one member for co-option. Jichkar using his connection got in touch with some senior members IUML. He was sitting in the office of IUML at NMC Headquarters and filled up nomination paper. However the new comers to NMC, particularly the AIMIM corporator got wind of IUML move to nominate Jichkar and all hell broke loose. Even as the deadline was nearing the IUML and AIMIM corporator got into verbal duel. AIMIM objected to IUML leaders not consulting them on co-opted member. Technically AIMIM is largest among the two parties as their six members were elected in civic election compared to four of IUML. So AIMIM was hoping to nominate their chosen person for co-option. As per sources, the AIMIM corporators stopped the IUML and Jichkar for reaching the office of Municipal Commissioner for submission for nomination paper. In process, the time set for submission passed by and the AIMIM-IUML wrangling left them to indulge in blame game for losing opportunity to forego one seat in NMC House in co-option.