Nagpur: Virtual election to mayor, deputy mayor posts today

NAGPUR: With Covid-19 scare continuing, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation has geared up to organize it’s first online election for mayor and deputy mayor posts on Tuesday at 11am.
BJP, which has 107 seats in the 151-member NMC House, had earlier declared Dayashankar Tiwari as its mayoral candidate and first-time corporator Manisha Dhawde as deputy mayor candidate.

Though the results of the contest are a foregone conclusion considering the BJP’s comfortable majority, the opposition Congress with 28 seats and the BSP with 10 have decided to contest the elections.
The leader of opposition and senior Congress corporator Tanaji Wanve has formed an alliance with Shiv Sena (2) and NCP (1), both constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi at the state level. They have decided to field Congress corporator Manoj Gawande for the mayor’s post and Sena corporator Mangala Gaware for deputy mayor. Congress faction led by city party president Vikas Thakre also fielded Ramesh Punekar (mayor) and Rashmi Dhurve (deputy mayor).
BSP, which has 10 corporators, has fielded Narendra Walde and Vaishali Narnawre for the posts.
City’s new mayor and deputy mayor will be announced as soon as the results of the election are out.
Leaving nothing to chance in case of a snag like in past online meetings, BJP has asked all its 107 corporators to remain present at the NMC Headquarters. Their seating arrangements have been made at different offices like ruling party leader, standing committee, etc on the premises itself. “If needed they will be asked to be present outside the election venue which is the standing committee hall,” said party sources.
Sources said BJP decision to field Dhawad for the deputy mayor’s post has created resentment within the senior corporators. BJP corporators, requesting anonymity, said MLA east Nagpur Krishna Khopde was dominating the party and added there was no say of party’s city president and MLC Pravin Datke. Though BJP has a clear majority, party sources said there will be less voting during the deputy mayor’s election to give an indication of resentment among the corporators.