Pune Municipal Corporation Fills Top Posts After Four-Year Vacancy
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has finally elected a mayor and a deputy mayor, ending a prolonged administrative hiatus that lasted for four years. The election, held on Monday, saw both positions filled unopposed, marking a significant political development in the city's governance.
Uncontested Victory for BJP and Alliance Partner
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Manjusha Nagpure was elected as the mayor of Pune, while Parshuram Wadekar from the Republican Party of India (RPI), an alliance partner of the BJP, secured the deputy mayor's post. The unopposed election was facilitated by the withdrawal of candidates from the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), who initially filed nominations but later stepped back.
Nagpure, representing the Sinhagad Road area, was the BJP's official mayoral candidate. Her opponents, NCP's Sheetal Sawant and Congress's Ashwini Landge, withdrew their nominations, clearing the path for her election. Similarly, for the deputy mayor position, Wadekar faced no contest after NCP's Datta Bahirat and Congress nominee Sahil Kedari also withdrew.
Political Landscape and Administrative Rule Ends
The BJP currently holds a dominant position in the 165-member PMC, with 119 corporators. Other parties include the NCP with 27 members, Congress with 15, NCP (SP) with three, and Shiv Sena (UBT) with one. The general body meeting for the election was conducted at 11 am at the PMC headquarters in Shivajinagar.
This election concludes the period of administrative rule in the PMC, which began after the tenure of the previous mayor ended in February 2022. The vacancy persisted due to the absence of civic elections over the past four years, leading to governance challenges.
Statements and Reservations Highlighted
During the proceedings, BJP leader and Leader of the House Ganesh Bidkar urged opposition parties to withdraw their candidates, suggesting that an unopposed election would serve as a tribute to senior leaders Suresh Kalmadi and Ajit Pawar. His appeal was heeded, resulting in the uncontested outcome.
Additionally, the reservation for the mayor's post was declared last month, aligning with broader trends in Maharashtra. Pune, along with Nashik, Mumbai, and six other municipal corporations in the state, now has women mayors from the general category, reflecting ongoing efforts to promote gender representation in local governance.
The election of Manjusha Nagpure and Parshuram Wadekar is expected to bring stability and renewed focus to Pune's municipal administration, addressing long-pending issues and fostering development initiatives in the city.
