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Pune to get mayor on Feb 6, Pimpri-Chinchwad on Feb 2
Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad will elect mayors on February 6 and 2, respectively. BJP leads discussions on potential candidates amid majority control.
The mayors for Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will be appointed on February 6 and February 2, respectively. Following instructions from the divisional commissioner’s office, the commissioners of both civic bodies have called for general body meetings on the respective dates.
Naval Kishore Ram, municipal commissioner, PMC, said, “As instructed by the divisional commissioner’s office, we have called the first general body meeting of elected members to elect mayor and deputy mayor on February 6. The PMC will soon announce the detailed programme for the mayor’s election.”
Mukesh Kolap, secretary, Pimpri-Chinchwad, said, “Mayor and deputy mayor elections will be on February 2. Co-operative commissioner Deepak Taware would be president for the first general body meeting.”
The mayor’s post in the PMC has been reserved for a woman candidate from the general category, following a draw conducted by the Maharashtra government on January 22. In contrast, the mayor’s post in the PCMC has been designated as general–open, allowing candidates from all categories to contest.
With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) enjoying a clear majority in the civic body, discussions have begun within the party over the likely candidate for Pune mayor. Several senior women leaders are in the race, including BJP women’s wing vice-president Varsha Tapkir, Manjusha Nagpure, who was elected unopposed, Ranjana Tilekar, mother of MLA Yogesh Tilekar, Manasi Deshpande, and Swarda Bapat, daughter-in-law of late Girish Bapat. Party sources, however, indicated that given its comfortable majority, the BJP could take a surprise call while finalising the candidate.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad, several BJP leaders have staked a claim to the mayor’s post. BJP Pimpri-Chinchwad city unit president Shatrugna Kate said he had already expressed his interest.
Apart from Kate, names of BJP leaders Ravi Landge, Nitin Landge, Sachin Tapkir, and others are also doing the rounds in PCMC political circles.
Along with the mayor and deputy mayor, the BJP will also appoint candidates for the leader of the house, standing committee chairman, and various committee heads.
