Wives to replace sitting corporators

This panel has women's reservation in the open category.

This panel has women’s reservation in the open category. Dominated by the Shiv Sena,the area might see family members of the sitting corporators vying against each other. The panel includes erstwhile wards of MLA Mahadeo Babar and Megha Babar and Tanaji Lonkar. The possibility of wives of Babar and Lonkar being fielded is not ruled out.

“Megha Babar,the sitting corporator,who is daughter-in-law of Mahadeo Babar,will be a key contender for the ticket. His wife,Smita Babar,too will vie for the ticket from the same panel,” says a Shiv Sena member. The panel comprises ward no 120 of MLA Mahadeo Babar,121 of corporator Tanaji Lonkar and 122 ward of Megha Babar.

While Babar will have to take a final call on his family members,Lonkar too is trying to field his wife Sangeeta Lonkar. “Since family members involved,the final call will be taken by Sena bigwigs. We are confident that the party will retain the panel,” says Lonkar.

Even as the open category for women has already generated enough names,the OBC category for males is yet to draw out a list. The area extends from Keshavrao Sitaram Thackeray Road to Defence Estate,Urdu school and is a mix of both cosmopolitan societies and slum areas. This panel has strong Muslim population. Congress which has little presence is likely to struggle to find a strong candidate.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s Sainath Babar is keen to field his wife Aarti Babar while NCP’s Narayan Lonkar wants to field his wife Nanda. From the Congress,the names of Anis Sundke and Asif Patel for cashing in on the Muslim vote bank are being discussed.

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories