BMC Elections 2017: Shiv Sena’s Vishwanath Mahadeshwar elected as the new Mumbai Mayor after BJP extends support

The Shiv Sena on Wednesday emerged victorious in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC mayor elections that were conducted in Mumbai this noon.  Vishwanath Mahadeshwar has been elected the next mayor of the municipal corporation while Hemangi Worlikar was elected as BMC Deputy Mayor. In the elections that concluded last month, the Shiv Sena won 84 of the 227 seats, while the BJP finished a close second with 82.

The election was conducted by the current mayor Snehal Ambekar. Sena’s Mahadeshwar was contesting against Congress’s Vitthal Lokare. Ambekar had given both the candidates fifteen minutes to withdraw nominations from mayoral election if they desired so. The win for Sena was expected, with party workers already celebrating outside the BMC office in Mumbai. MNS’ seven corporators were not present inside the Corporation Hall.

BMC mayor elections: Corporators during the elections inside the Corporation Hall. Express Photo/Arita SarkarBMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta was present during the election. Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai were also at the corporation hall. Mahadeshwar  was elected with 171 votes in his favour. Out of 227 corporatos, 218 participated in the voting.

In his first address to the corporators, Mahadeshwar raised concern over outstanding dues with state government stating that it is obstructing BMC financially in completing the projects. “My priority  will be conducting coordination committee meeting between state government and BMC,  which hasn’t happened since 1999, for better coordination on civic issues,” he said.