Sumitra Kumbhare, wife of former Vice-President and Congress leader Manohar Kumbhare, was elected as Vice-President of Zilla Parishad (ZP) with a thumping majority on Friday. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) named Atish Umre as Leader of Opposition in ZP, and ruling alliance partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) named Dinesh Bang as party’s Group Leader in the House.

It was a foregone conclusion that being the leading partner in ruling Congress-NCP alliance, Congress party would have its member appointed as Vice-President. Of total 58 members in ZP, only 56 members participated in polling for the post of Vice-President. NCP’s Salil Deshmukh and BJP’s Mohan Makde abstained from voting. Of the 56 votes, Congress’ Sumitra Manohar Kumbhare got 43 votes and BJP’s Kailas Barbate got only 13 votes.

Kumbhare got 32 votes of Congress, seven of NCP, one each of Shiv Sena, Gondwana Gantantra Party, Shetkari Kamgar Paksha, and Independent. As soon as the result was announced, Congress workers burst firecrackers in ZP premises and started celebrating Kumbhare’s win. Shekhar Ghadge, Presiding Officer, announced the result. The entire election process was conducted in ZP premises. Earlier, at 11 am, Kumbhare filed nomination papers in presence of Rajendra Mulak, District President of Congress party.

Later, Sumitra Kumbhare took charge of the office of Vice-President in presence of Sunil Kedar, Animal Husbandry Minister; Rajendra Mulak, District President of Congress party; Rashmi Barve, ZP President; senior leader Nana Gawande, her husband Manohar Kumbhare, and other leaders.

Speaking on the occasion, Kumbhare thanked Sunil Kedar for nominating her for the post of Vice-President as well as for Chairperson of Health and Works Committees. “While discharging these important responsibilities, I shall accord priority to resolving the issues of farmers. Besides, I shall work to achieve the goal of 100 per cent vaccination against COVID-19, and completing the works of farm approach roads,” she said.

As many as 16 seats of ZP members became vacant as a fallout of the Supreme Court directions regarding OBC reservation. Manohar Kumbhare, who was Vice-President, also lost the seat. At the time of bypolls, his circle got reserved for woman. As a result, Congress gave party ticket to Manohar Kumbhare’s wife Sumitra. She won the bypolls and now got elected as Vice-President.

Meanwhile, soon after the bypolls, Congress had named Avantika Lekurwale as its Group Leader in ZP. However, its alliance partner NCP, and opposition BJP had not named their Group Leaders. On Friday, just before the election of Vice-President, BJP nominated its aggressive member Atish Umre as its Group Leader. NCP nominated its Raipur circle member Dinesh Rameshchandra Bang as its Group Leader. Umre replaced Anil Nidhan, while Bang replaced Chandrashekhar Kolhe. Both, Nidhan and Kolhe had lost membership following the Supreme Court direction. In the bypolls, Nidhan failed to win.

The names of Vyankat Karemore, Atish Umre and Kailas Barbate were doing the rounds for the position of BJP Group Leader in ZP. On Thursday, after discussion with Chandrashekhar Bawankule, former Guardian Minister of district and BJP State General Secretary, BJP leaders including Arvind Gajbhiye, District President, Ajay Bodhare and others finalised the name of Umre. Accordingly, Takalghat circle member Umre was nominated as BJP Group Leader. Karemore was named as Deputy Group Leader of BJP.

Interacting with reporters, Umre said that he would try to expose the alleged corruption in various departments of ZP and raise voice against alleged autocratic style of functioning of the ruling Congress party. He thanked senior BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister; Devendra Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition in Assembly; Bawankule, MLAs Sameer Meghe and Tekchand Sawarkar, and Arvind Gajbhiye.