The draw of lots for reservation of wards at Pimpri-Chinchwad led to disappointment for several former corporators and also aspirants who had been gearing up to contest the elections scheduled next year.
The draw of lots for PCMC poll was conducted by election officials for 128 seats across 32 prabhags (panels or wards). The draw of lots for seat reservation was held at the Prof Ramkrishna More auditorium in Chinchwad. The draw of lots determined the seats for various categories including general seats, seats reserved for women, Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Every panel or prabhag will elect four corporators.
Former corporator Seema Sawale, who has been a three-time corporator, said she has got another opportunity to contest. ”In our Indrayani Nagar prabhag, one seat is reserved for SC general candidates which means both women and men from Scheduled Caste category can contest…I will be contesting for the fourth consecutive time,” said Sawale, a former civic standing committee chairperson.
In the same Indrayani Nagar prabhag, two other former corporators Vikrant Lande of NCP and Vilas Medigiri have a problem. “As for other three seats, one is for women OBC candidate, another for open category women and only one is for open category males. Now the scenario is such that both Lande and Medigiri will have to take on each other if they decide to contest,” she said.
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In Kasarwadi, NCP’s Sham Lande and Yogesh Behl were elected in the 2017 elections. Now they are left with only one seat for open category candidate. Both Lande and Behl were gearing up to contest together by forming a panel. ”I will have to redo my plan now..,” said Lande.
Satish Landge, one of the poll aspirants in Kasarwadi, said, “I was expecting one seat for open category male and another for OBC male. But now our prabhag will have only one seat for open category male. I was preparing for last five-six years. Now I will have to take the call whether to contest or not,” he said.
In prabhag number 30 which is Dapodi, Phugewadi and Kasarwadi, former corporator Asha Shendge, who also finds herself in trouble said, “I had last time contested on the seat reserved for SC candidates. Now my ward has become reserved for OBC general category. I can contest from prabhag number 30 or the neighbouring prabhag number 20 from open category. I will have to decide in next few days.”
In prabhag number 9–Nehrunagar, Ajmera and Kharalwadi–former corporator Geeta Mancharkar had contested the 2017 election from seat reserved for SC women. ”Now the seat has been reserved for men from SC category. In this category, I can contest. Women can contest in seats reserved for men. But men cannot contest in seats reserved for women. Either I will contest or my husband will.”
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Similarly, former corporator Sameer Masulkar had contested from open category seat in 2017 elections. Now the seat is reserved for open category women. Masulkar is likely to field his wife in prabhag number 9.
”In the same prabhag number 9, all four former corporators face problems. They will have to change their contesting category. Former mayor Vaishali Ghodekar, who had contested from open category seat, will have to now contest from OBC category for women. Rahul Bhosale will contest from open category seat. Last time, he had contested from OBC seat,” said Mancharkar.
Geeta Mancharkar said the mayoral post this time has been reserved for SC category candidate. “And this was going to be my third time and I had the opportunity to become the mayor. Now, I have lost the opportunity,” she said.
BJP leader Sarang Kamtekar said the seat reservation will make the former corporators and aspirants do a rethink about their plans and “rearrange” themselves on the seats they will have to contest. “In Sangvi, Pimple Gurav and New Sangvi, three SC male candidates will not get an opportunity to contest as their seats have become reserved for SC women. But they can get their wives to contest,” Kamtekar said.
In Wakad, two former corporators Mayur Kalate and Rahul Kalate face a problem as their prabhag number 25 has only one open seat. ”In Pimple Nilakh, former corporators Tushar Kamthe and Sandeep Kaspate, only open seat is available…In Sambhajinagar area, former corporator Keshav Gholve is in trouble. His seat is now reserved for OBC women. Similarly, former mayor Mangala Kadam might face problem as her seat has been reserved for OBC women. But as per my knowledge, she has procured OBC certificates,” said Kamtekar, also a poll analyst.
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Kamtekar said everyone who is contesting the election faces a new challenge. ”Now you will find people changing parties as per the combinations…Party lines have blurred. As of today, the contestants will have to resort to rearrangement because every panel will elect four members. They will have to decide whether they will contest with the same party or any other party. Many of the leaders who lost out will get an opportunity to field their wives,” he said.
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