MNS wins G North ward committee chair in BMC; BJP leads in second phase
MNS corporator Yashwant Killedar was declared elected from the G North ward committee, which covers Dadar, Mahim and Matunga, after Shiv Sena UBT’s Joseph Koli withdrew from the contest shortly before voting.
In a last-minute twist at the BMC, MNS corporator Yashwant Killedar has been elected Chairperson of the G North ward committee. The victory was sealed after the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate withdrew his nomination just before voting in Dadar (Express File Photo)
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena secured the chairperson’s post of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s G North ward committee after the Shiv Sena UBT candidate withdrew his nomination at the last minute during the second phase of ward committee elections held on Friday.
MNS corporator Yashwant Killedar was declared elected from the G North ward committee, which covers Dadar, Mahim and Matunga, after Shiv Sena UBT’s Joseph Koli withdrew from the contest shortly before voting. Killedar is one of the six MNS corporators in the civic body and also serves as the party’s group leader in the BMC.
Ward committee elections were held for six committees on Friday as part of the second phase of the civic body’s internal polls.
Meanwhile, BJP corporators Prakash Musale, Rohan Rathod and Shrikala Ramchandran were elected unopposed as chairpersons of the K North and K South (Andheri East), K West (Andheri West) and P South (Goregaon) ward committees respectively.
Shiv Sena UBT’s Rohini Kamble and Padmaja Chemburkar were also elected unopposed as chairpersons of the H East and H West (Bandra East and Bandra West) and G South (Worli) ward committees.
Earlier on Thursday, chairpersons of six ward committees were elected in the first phase, with the BJP winning three posts, the Congress two and the Shiv Sena one.
With the results declared over the past two days, elections have been completed for 12 of the 17 ward committees in the BMC. So far, the BJP has secured six committees, followed by two each by the Congress and Shiv Sena UBT, and one each by the Shiv Sena and MNS. Elections for the remaining five committees are scheduled to be held on March 9.
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The BMC has 17 ward committees comprising corporators from the city’s 26 municipal wards. Each committee elects a chairperson from among the corporators, typically from the party or alliance with the majority in that committee.
Ward committees play a key role in approving civic proposals and projects such as sanitation, road repairs and drainage works at the ward level, and serve as an important interface between corporators and residents on local civic issues.
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:
Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.
City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.
Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:
National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.
Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.
Experience
Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:
Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
