BJP faces high-stakes scramble for NMC panels ahead of Feb 24 meet

Nagpur: With the BJP scoring a resounding win in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) polls for a fourth consecutive term, intense lobbying has begun within the party ranks ahead of the crucial February 24 meeting to finalise members of the standing, transport and other subject committees.While elections for mayor, deputy mayor and ruling party leader have been completed following the January 16 results, key committee appointments have remained pending for over a month — triggering a scramble among corporators.The 16-member standing committee, considered the most powerful body in NMC, is at the centre of this political manoeuvring. All major financial decisions pass through this committee, making it a coveted platform for corporators seeking influence in policy and project approvals. Based on numerical strength, the BJP is expected to secure 11 seats on the standing committee, while Congress will get four and MIM one.With more aspirants than available positions, the BJP leadership faces a delicate balancing act: accommodating senior leaders, rewarding loyalists and ensuring representation across factions and regions.The transport committee is another high-stakes panel, as it operates with an independent budget and oversees city bus operations and mobility planning. Apart from these, ten subject committee — including education, sports, women and child welfare — will also be constituted. Selection of Chairperson Keeps Party GuessingThe delay in naming the standing committee chairperson has further fuelled speculation. During the mayoral swearing-in ceremony, senior BJP leaders had hinted that the post would go to a woman corporator, following the election of women to the posts of mayor and deputy mayor.After Neeta Thakre's elevation as mayor, speculation intensified that first-time corporator Shivani Dani could be the frontrunner for the standing committee chairperson's post. However, the party has made no official announcement.Sources indicate that the delay stems from competing claims by several senior women corporators, making the final decision politically sensitive. Since the chairperson will be elected by the 16 standing committee members after their selection on Feb 24, the internal arithmetic within the BJP will ultimately decide who secures one of the most powerful posts in the city's civic administration.