Ward reservation may bring old-timers back in the game

MUMBAI: While

delimitation

and changes in

ward reservation

have affected the chances of many sitting corporators to get a ticket for the

BMC polls

, they have given several heavyweight old-timers an opportunity to get back in the game. The old-timers had dropped out of the 2012 civic polls either because the ward reservations were not favourable for them or they were hopeful of an MLA ticket.

According to sources, former Congress corporator Rajhans Singh, former BJP corporator Balchandra Shirsat, former Shiv Sena corporator

Mangesh Satamkar

and former mayor Datta Dalvi from Sena might contest this time round.

Sources in Congress said Singh, who holds the record of holding the post of Opposition leader for eight consecutive years, is likely to be fielded from Goregaon even as he is seeking a ticket for his son Nitesh from Kurla. Singh had contested the last assembly elections from Goregaon, but lost to Sena’s Sunil Prabhu. “It is up to the party. If they ask me to contest based on my experience, I will have to accept the decision,” he said.

While Shirsat, former civic improvements committee chairman, is likely to contest from Garodia Nagar seat, Satamkar, in-charge of Sion-Koliwada, Chembur and Anushakti Nagar assembly constituencies that comprise around 20 wards, seems keen to contest from Pratiksha Nagar again. In his 15 years as corporator, Satamkar was standing committee member for 11 years as well as statut-ory education panel chairman.

With a sizeable number of seasoned corporators expected to contest the polls, the civic house could be ‘more mature’, said sources. The current civic house has many first-time corporators. “If many experienced corporators are elected, it would help improve the quality of debate in BMC,” said Satamkar.

Ravi Raja, four-time former Congress corporator who has held the post of BEST committee member for a record 18 years, is likely to be fielded from Sion. “Though I have sought a ticket this year, it is for the party to decide,” he said. He couldn’t contest in the 2012 civic polls from Sion as the ward was reserved for OBC woman category. He was fielded from the adjoining ward, but Sena’s Shraddha Jadhav won.

Congress leaders Kisan Jadhav and Puran Doshi, and senior Sena leaders Prabhakar Shinde, Subhash Sawant and Dilip Shinde are also expected to join the fray.