NAGPUR: A few former corporators got a jolt after the draw conducted by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) left their seats reserved for Backward Class of Citizens (BCC) or women on Friday. Many political heavyweights were delighted with change in reservations in the second round.
Municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B and his team, including additional municipal commissioner Ram Joshi, deputy commissioner Nirbhay Jain, assistant commissioner Mahesh Dhamecha and Padma Uikey completed the draw successfully at Town Hall, Mahal.
The civic body will publish draft of reservation-wise seats on Saturday. Suggestions and objections can be registered between July 30 and August 2. The civic chief will publish final list on August 5, which will be the last process before elections.
The State Election Commission (SEC) may enforce code of conduct anytime after August 5. Considering earlier notifications of SEC, elections are likely before end of October.
The draw on Friday was conducted for the second time for upcoming municipal elections. Earlier, a draw was held on May 31. The draw was conducted again as the Supreme Court allowed BCC reservations.
The latest draw changed the entire scenario as ‘A’ seats in all 52 wards were reserved for SC, ST and BCC. Earlier, 17 of these ‘A’ seats were reserved for women and had no caste reservation.
NMC had to reserve 35 seats for BCC as 31 seats were already reserved for SC and 12 for ST. Caste reserved seats cannot go beyond 50% of total seats, which is 156.
As reported by TOI on July 27, the 17 ‘A’ seats reserved earlier for women were automatically reserved for BCC. Remaining 18 seats were finalized by conducting draw from 27 ‘B’ seats followed by reservation for BCC women and then open category women.
Earlier, all 52 ‘C’ seats were general. This time, 12 seats have been reserved for women, upsetting some former corporators.
Former deputy mayor Deepraj Pardikar told TOI, “Now, I have no chance to contest as seats in my ward-12 are reserved for SC, ST (woman) and general (woman). It is up to the party to decide whether it will give a chance to my better half, who was corporator in 2002,” he said.
Similarly, four-time former Congress corporator Manoj Sangole is left with no chances. He had started preparations from ward no-2 where now seat ‘A’ is reserved for SC (woman), ‘B’ for OBC, and ‘C’ for general (woman). He comes from SC category.
A few political heavyweights from Congress, BJP and AAP, including Harish Gwalbanshi, Kamlesh Chaudhary, Dipak Wankhede, Abhijit Jha and Naresh Barde faced a jolt from ward no-20 as seat ‘A’ is reserved for SC (woman), ‘B’ for ST, and ‘C’ for general (woman).
Former Congress corporator Nitin Sathawane and Satish Holey from ward no- 25 and 33 respectively too face similar situations.
Many former corporators and leaders were happy after the draw. In earlier draw, former mayor Dayashankar Tiwari had been left disappointed. In latest one, Tiwari and his counterpart Sanjay Balpande can contest from same ward-23.
After compromising many times, BJP leader Munna Yadav is likely to make a comeback in NMC election as seat ‘A’ of ward-35 is reserved for OBC.
Ward no-38 will become the talk of the election. Seat ‘A’ is reserved for SC (woman), ‘B’ for OBC and ‘C’ for general. Here, Congress leader Praful Gudadhe and general secretary of Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress Ketan Thakre can contest jointly, which can act as a patch-up between Gudadhe and city Congress president Vikas Thakre, also MLA from West Nagpur.
