MUMBAI: Barely a day after Mumbai’s mayor was elected, canvassing for the top post of statutory committees in BMC has begun.
Shiv Sena’s Vishwanath Mahadeshwar was elected mayor on March 8, receiving votes from 88 party corporators and 83
BJP corporators
. Sena’s Hemangi Worlikar was elected deputy mayor.
Following those elections, members to four statutory committees (standing, improvements, civic education and BEST) were appointed. The chairmanship of these committees is much coveted, especially the all-powerful standing committee, considering that every financial proposal needs its approval.
Sena has nominated many of its old-timers to the standing committee, like Ashish Chemburkar, Mangesh Satamkar and Rajul Patel. Ramesh Korgaonkar has been brought back to the panel. Korgaonkar, Chemburkar and Satamkar have been eyeing the plum chairman’s post, but sources said Satamkar may be nominated. The nomination for the standing committee chairmanship will be done on Friday.
The Sena has brought former mayors, Vishakha Raut, Shraddha Jadhav and Milind Vaidya, to the improvements committee panel. The committee is crucial as issues relating to public land under BMC are approved by it. Issues tabled before the committee include vital decisions such as change of land use and redevelopment of properties.
BJP said it would not contest the chairman’s post for any committee. It nominated Makrand Narvekar, an Independent corporator from Colaba who joined it prior to the civic polls and Arun Gawli’s daughter, Geeta Gawli, who supported it after the elections, to the standing committee. Two politicos who left the BEST committee as Sena members are being brought back by BJP Sunil Gancharya and Sanjay (Nana) Ambole. Ambole’s wife had contested from Parel on a BJP ticket but lost.
A civic official from the municipal secretary department said, “Elections to the standing and education committee are schedule on March 14, while the improvements and BEST committee chairman elections will be held on March 16.”
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.Richa Pinto is a special correspondent with The Times of India. S...
Read MoreRicha Pinto is a special correspondent with The Times of India. She covers urban governance & climate change issues. With over a decade of experience in field reporting, she has written extensively on various civic issues affecting Mumbaikars. She graduated in -journalism from the prestigious Mumbai-based St Xavier's College and later pursued a three-year Law degree (L.L.B.) with the University of Mumbai. She regularly tweets about all things that matter to Mumbai on-- @richapintoi.
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