Mayoral polls: BJP’s Dayashankar Tiwari files paper

 

 

 

An election whose outcome is already known still saw city fathers making an all out attempt to pour in some excitement as four nomination papers were received for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor. This being the last election of the current House of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) it was expected that corporators would settle for an amicable show. But that was not to happen as Opposition bloc ensured that elections do not go uncontested and hence they decided to enter the fray. Local Congress Party unit got specific directions from State body to ensure that they put up candidates for the Mayoral polls.

 

 

From the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as decided earlier Dayashankar Tiwari, the senior most corporator in the House, submitted his candidature for the post of Mayor. As to Deputy Mayor, the ruling bloc has zeroed on Manisha Ashish Dhawde, a corporator from East Nagpur Assembly segment. Late in night, BJP leaders weighed various options for Deputy Mayor but the push from East Nagpur MLA Krishna Khopde seems to have finally prevailed. Since maximum BJP corporators are elected from East Nagpur assembly segment they insisted that adequate representation should be provided to them in the top posts.

 

From the Opposition, Congress Party groupism resulted in two groups putting up their own candidates for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Manoj Gawande was proposed for the post of Mayor by Leader of Opposition Tanaji Wanve and for Deputy Mayor they have put up Mangala Gawre. Another group that of Vikas Thakre, MLA and President, Nagpur District Congress Committee, and they have proposed name of Ramesh Punekar for Mayor's post and Darshana Dhawad for the post of Deputy Mayor. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) too has entered the fray for Mayoral polls and has nominated its senior corporoator Narendra Walde for the post of Mayor while Vaishali Narnaware is going to contest the Deputy Mayor's post. The election result of the contest is widely known as BJP has thumping majority, about 108 corporators in the House and hence their nominees for Mayor and Deputy Mayor are going to have smooth sailing. Among them one corporator from ruling block Durga Hatthithele from Prabhag 5 (A) does not have voting right owing to rejection of her caste certificate.

 

Tiwari's represents Prabhag 19 (D) that falls in Central Nagpur and his name was proposed by Sunil Hiranwar, Prabhag 15 (A) and seconded by Ravindra Bhoyar, Prabhag 19 (D). Dhawde is elected from Prabhag 23 (B) and her name was proposed by Rupa Rai, Pabhag 15 (C) while Rutika Masram, Prabhag 13 (B) has seconded it. From Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena the total strength is 29, 1 and 2 respectively. The name of Gawande, Prabhag 33 (D) was proposed by Tanaji Wanve and seconded by Praful Gudadhe, Prabhag 38 (B) while for Deputy Mayor Gawre's name was proposed by Manoj Gawande while Zulfekar Bhutto, Prabhag 8 (D) has seconded it. Though Congress Party's strength was 29, one of their member Ansari Sayyed Begum Mohd. Nizamuddin who elected from Prabhag 8 (B) has been disqualified. In BSP camp the name of Walde, Prabhag 9 (D), was proposed by Jitendra Ghodeshwar and seconded by Mohd. Ibrahim, Prabhag 6 (D), and for Deputy Mayor Narnawre's name was proposed by Vandana Chandekar, Prabhag 6 (B) and seconded by Mangala Lanjewar, Prabhag 7 (C). BSP has total of 10 members in the House. Nomination papers were accepted from 11 am to 3 pm and same were submitted by the parties candidates with Dr Ranjana Lade, Secretary, NMC.