Mumbai will have a woman mayor for the second consecutive term after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was placed in the Open (Women) category in the lottery draw for mayoral reservations held on Thursday. The previous mayor of the BMC was Kishori Pednekar of the undivided Shiv Sena.
The reservation lottery, conducted for 29 municipal corporations that went to polls last week, sparked objections from the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT), which questioned the exclusion of Mumbai from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation list. The Congress also raised concerns over the reservation draw for Parbhani.
Of the 29 municipal corporations, one mayoral post has been reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. However, as per regulatory provisions, no post has been allotted to the ST (Women) category. Three posts have been reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SC), of which two are reserved for SC (Women). Eight posts have been reserved for the OBC category, including four for OBC (Women).
From the remaining 17 corporations, nine mayoral posts have been reserved for the General Category (Women), while the remaining eight posts fall under the Open (General) category.
Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), where the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has joined hands with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, breaking away from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), will have the only ST mayor in the state. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s home turf of Thane will have a mayor from the Scheduled Caste category.
All major cities in Maharashtra including Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur will have woman mayors. The BJP is likely to have its mayor in all three cities.
Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal, who oversaw the lottery process, said objections raised by opposition parties had been noted but maintained that the draw was conducted strictly as per the law and in a transparent manner.
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The Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) questioned why Mumbai was excluded from the OBC reservation draw. Former Mumbai mayor and party leader Kishori Pednekar pointed out that in 2017 and 2019, the mayoral post in Mumbai was reserved under the Open category. “As per the rotational system, the post should have been included in the OBC draw this time. The government has insulted OBCs by deliberately denying them this opportunity,” she alleged.
Pednekar further accused the government of introducing a new rule to prevent a Scheduled Tribe candidate from becoming mayor. “The rule requires a corporation to have at least three ST corporators to be eligible for ST reservation. When was this rule introduced? It was done only to benefit the ruling side,” she said.
Rejecting the allegations, Misal said the objections raised by the Thackeray group were not in accordance with the rules. “They want reservations as per their demand, which cannot be done,” she said.
Mayoral Reservation City wise list
Explaining the rationale behind the draw, Misal said eight mayoral posts had to be reserved for OBCs based on population norms. “Out of 29 corporations, after excluding those that had already received OBC reservation in previous terms, only three were left, one of which Jalna was already reserved for Scheduled Castes. The remaining six were selected alphabetically,” she said.
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She added that ST reservation could be applied only in municipal corporations with more than three ST corporators, and the government had acted strictly as per the established rules.
With the next Mumbai mayoral post going to women in the open category, candidates have started to lobby with state leaders to push the former along.
State BJP president Ravindra Chavan said, “The final decision on the next mayoral post will be taken after CM Devendra Fadnavis returns from Davos to Mumbai on January 24.”
In the recently concluded BMC polls for 227 candidates, the total woman candidates across party lines make up for 123. The BJP won 89 seats, out of which women constituted 49.
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Six candidates who are frontrunners in contesting the mayoral post are: Rajashree Shirvadkar (ward no 172); Sheetal Gambhir (ward no 190); Asha Marathe (ward no 152); Harshita Narwekar (ward no 125), Ritu Tawde (Ward no 132); Alka Kerkar ( Ward 98).
A source in the BJP said, “The most important criteria for selecting the next woman mayor would be an individual’s image and loyalty to the organisation. The individual’s ability to work hard and connect to people year round.”
Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues.
Expertise
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai.
Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands').
Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including:
State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
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Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides).
Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits.
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Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects.
Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission.
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Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra.
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Mayoral Reservation City wise list
