Three-time Shiv Sena corporator, Kishori Pednekar, became the city’s 77th mayor on Friday after she was elected unopposed by the members of the civic body in the mayoral elections held at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters in Fort around 11.35am. A trained nurse, 56-year-old Pednekar took charge from outgoing mayor, Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, whose term ended in September.
Meanwhile, Pednekar’s party colleague and Dindoshi corporator Suhas Wadkar, 44, was elected unopposed as the deputy mayor. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, along with his wife Rashmi and Worli legislator Aaditya Thackeray, visited the BMC headquarters in the afternoon to congratulate Pednekar and Wadkar on their victories.
None of the other parties filed their nominations for the posts earlier this week.
“I understand that improving civic amenities for the citizens and keeping the city safe are my top priorities,” the newly- elected mayor said in her address to the BMC general body. She added that her focus would also be on promoting digitisation and ease of doing business. Pednekar urged Mumbaiites to save and recycle water, harvest rain water, use BEST buses to decrease congestion on roads and reduce pollution. She also directed the administration to focus on pothole-free roads and spoke about improving the quality of education and public health.
Daughter of a mill worker, Pednekar had won the corporator elections in 2002, 2012 and 2017 and held several key positions in the BMC. She was a member of the standing committee, which scrutinises the civic body’s financial transactions, as well as a member of the improvement committee. Pednekar has also been the chairperson of the works committee, and the women and child welfare committee.
{{/usCountry}}Daughter of a mill worker, Pednekar had won the corporator elections in 2002, 2012 and 2017 and held several key positions in the BMC. She was a member of the standing committee, which scrutinises the civic body’s financial transactions, as well as a member of the improvement committee. Pednekar has also been the chairperson of the works committee, and the women and child welfare committee.
{{/usCountry}}Wadkar in his address, urged the administration to improve footpaths, promised to streamline water supply and focus on pothole-free roads. “I will come up with ways to improve the BMC’s finances by tapping on unpaid taxes,” he said.