PMC elections: New generation set to make entry to continue family legacy

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vasant More, who was city MNS chief in the past, has declared that he would contest from Balajinagar-Ambegaon-Katraj electoral panel while his son Rupesh will contest from Kondhwa Budhruk-Yeolewadi electoral panel in open category.

Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Dhangekar, former legislator who was with the Congress and MNS in the past, is likely to field either his wife or son from Kasba Ganpati-KEM hospital electoral panel to continue his hold in the area, which he represented in the civic body for long.

Former Congress corporator Ulhas Bagul, who quit the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections to contest as an Independent, is likely to contest himself or field his son Hemant from Sahakarnagar-Padmavati electoral panel.

In the BJP, the son of state minister Madhuri Misal is likely to contest from Shankarmaharaj Math-Bibewadi electoral panel while Kunal Tilak, son of former city mayor and legislator Mukta Tilak, is keen to contest from Shaniwar Peth-Mahatma Phule Mandai. Also, Swarda Bapat — daughter-in-law of former MP Girish Bapat — is likely to carry forward the family legacy in politics by contesting the PMC elections. Both Tilak and Bopot had expressed their willingness to contest the assembly elections from Kasba Peth constituency represented by family members in the past but the party preferred to elevate former corporator Hemant Rasane to state politics.

Young BJP leader Nivedita Ekbote, daughter of former corporator Jyotsana Ekbote, is likely to contest from Shivajinagar-Model Colony electoral ward.

The elections to the PMC are all set to be held after the Supreme Court directed the state government to complete the pending elections of civic bodies by January-end next year. The previous PMC elections were held in 2017 and the five-year term of the elected body ended in 2022. Since then, the civic body is governed by an administrator.

The PMC administration began the process of holding civic elections and completed the delimitation process recently in which 41 electoral panels were decided, from which 165 corporators will be elected for the next five-year term. The draw for reservation of seats was carried out on Tuesday in which 44 seats were reserved for OBCs, 22 seats for SCs and two seats for ST category with 50 per cent seats to be contested only by women.

The draws have paved the way for the aspirants to plan their strategy to contest the civic elections and have gone against a few established politicians and former corporators and in favour of others as they can contest from their area of influence.