Shiv Sena set to retain mayor’s post as other parties don’t field candidates

The Shiv Sena’s nominee for deputy mayor’s post, Suhas Wadkar, is also set to be elected unopposed.

Shiv Sena is set to retain power in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as its mayoral candidate will be elected unopposed. Three-time Sena corporator Kishori Pednekar will be the next Mumbai mayor after no other party fielded candidates against her on Monday, the last day of filing nominations.

Shiv Sena is set to retain power in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as its mayoral candidate will be elected unopposed. (HT Photo)

The Shiv Sena’s nominee for deputy mayor’s post, Suhas Wadkar, is also set to be elected unopposed.

The elections are scheduled to be held on November 22.

Sena is largest party in the 227-member civic house with 91 corporators. The BJP has 81 members, followed by Congress (29); NCP (8); Samajwadi Party (6); AIMIM (2); MNS (1); Akhil Bharatiya Sena (1); and four Independents. The election of four members is under litigation as it has been termed invalid by courts over an issue of caste certificates, but they have appealed in higher courts.

After the 2017 civic polls, Sena’s Vishwanath Mahadeshwar was elected mayor as BJP gave outside support to Sena. This time, however, BJP and others did not field candidates, saying they do not have the numbers to win.

Mahadewhar’s tenure ended in September, but was extended till November 21 owing to the Assembly elections.

Winning Mumbai’s mayoral election is significant as it gives parties the power to control Asia’s richest civic body. Sena has been in power in BMC for more than two decades.

The party was considering a few prominent names like Yashwant Jadhav, Mangesh Satamkar, Ashish Chemburkar, Vishaka Raut and Kishori Pednekar for the top post. “By Monday morning, the names of Jadhav and Pednekar were shortlisted, and the latter was nominated for the mayor’s post,” said a Sena leader, who did not wish to be named.

Speaking to mediapersons after filing her nomination, 56-year-old Pednekar said, “I would like to thank the party for giving me this opportunity. My priority is to make Mumbai pothole- and plastic-free by working with all 227 corporators.”

Voting in the mayoral election happens by show of hands by the corporators. However, there won’t be any voting on November 22 as there are no other candidates in the fray. “Shiv Sena’s candidates will be elected unopposed on Friday,” said an official from the municipal secretary office of BMC.

Ravi Raja, leader of opposition and Congress corporator, said, “We do not have numbers and hence we did not put our candidates. On Sunday, all Congress corporators had passed a resolution that gave powers to the high command in Delhi to take a call, and hence we are following the decision by the high command. This does not mean we are supporting Sena. The decision is purely on basis of numbers.”

While NCP had said on Sunday that they would be fielding a candidate for the deputy mayor’s post, on Monday, the party said it was supporting the decision of Congress considering they are allies in the BMC. “We are going with Congress as it is our ally and also has more numbers in BMC. We do not have enough numbers, and hence there is no point in fielding a candidate,” said Rakhi Jadhav, NCP corporator.

Meanwhile, Sena’s former ally, BJP, has not yet announced if it will stake claim to the leader of opposition post as it is second largest party.

“The party has not taken any decision yet,” said A BJP leader, on condition of anonymity.

“As per rules, the party with second most number of seats can write to the mayor to declare them as the opposition in any general body meeting,” a senior civic official from the municipal secretary’s department said.

In 2017, BJP and Sena contested separately and former could have staked claim to the post. However, BJP had then said they will “act as a watchdog in the civic body”. The Congress had staked claim for the leader of opposition position, which it currently holds.