BMC power play: BJP asks newly elected corporators not to leave Mumbai for 8–10 days; 'key political developments' cited

MUMBAI: Newly elected BJP corporators have been directed not to leave Mumbai for the next eight to ten days in view of the upcoming mayoral reservation process and other developments linked to the formation of the municipal corporation, a party leader said on Monday.The Maharashtra government has initiated the process for the election of mayors in Mumbai and 28 other civic bodies. The lottery to determine reservation for the mayoral posts is scheduled for January 22 and will be conducted at the state secretariat, as per an order issued by the Urban Development Department, according to news agency PTI. In Maharashtra, mayors are elected by corporators, with the post reserved on a rotational basis.According to the BJP leader, newly elected corporators have been asked to stay in the city as the process of constituting the municipal corporation could take over a week. “Key political developments are expected once the mayoral reservation is announced,” the leader said.Under the prescribed procedure, the municipal commissioner must first publish a gazette notification listing the elected representatives. This is followed by the registration of each political party’s elected group with the Konkan revenue division commissioner.The BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), securing 89 of the 227 seats in the January 15 elections.Meanwhile, sources said the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is likely to formally constitute its group in the civic body on Tuesday.