Curiosity and confusion over draw of lots

However,the excitement seemed to have fizzled out as the crowd failed to understand the draw system,despite the brief explanation in the beginning.

“All I understood is that my ward is now reserved for an OBC (women). However,I have not understood the process completely,” said Sachin Murkute,a political worker. Kaveri Bhosale also said she did not understood the new reservation of her ward. “I will have to check it in tomorrow’s newspapers,” she said.

For 51-year-old Pandurang Nalawade,the process has been a confusion from the beginning. “For non-political persons like me,it is difficult to make sense from the brief explanation given at the beginning. Moreover,using only ward numbers and not the ward names made it more difficult,” he said.

By the end of it,very few could tell whether the new reservation will work in their favour or against in their own areas.

“It is difficult to say at this point as it is not just the reservation,but also the geographical boundaries have changed. We will need to study all the aspects before saying whether the new reservation is good or bad,” said Rahul Bagal,a political worker.

Mayor,corporator ‘unwelcome’ on stage

Halfway through the process,Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal and corporator Shankar Beldare-Patil were on the dais when some people from the audience raised their voices and objected to their presence on the stage.

Agreeing with the audience,state election commissioner Neela Satyanarayan announced,“It is incorrect for any political representative to come on the stage when the election commission’s process is under way.”