Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray with his family
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) may have slipped from the hands of the Thackeray family after their quarter-century control over the most prestigious urban local body, however, four former Mayors have been elected from the Shiv Sena (UBT).
This time, the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have grabbed the Mayoral seat, however, things would not be easy for them.
The 227-member BMC will see interesting and dramatic developments in the months to come.
The four former Mayors who won are Kishori Pednekar from Ward No 199, Vishakha Raut from Ward No 191, Shradda Jadhav from Ward No 202, and Milind Vaidya from Ward No 182.
Similarly, former deputy mayors, Hemangi Worlikar (Shiv Sena UBT) won from ward 193, Suhas Wadkar from ward 141, and Alka Kerkar from ward 98 in Bandra West.
Pednekar was Mayor from November 12, 2019 to March 8, 2022 during the Covid-19 pandemic. A grassroot Shiv Sainik and a good administrator, Pednekar, who was a nurse before becoming a politician was seen moving in streets, lanes and bylanes of Mumbai and also boarded local trains and inspected railway stations during the height of pandemic and even donned the dress of nurse at times.
Pednekar, Vaidya, Jadhav and Raut - who were Mayors of undivided Shiv Sena led by late Balasaheb Thackeray and then by Uddhav Thackeray - bring in considerable experience with them.
Former Mayor and Congress leader Chandrakant Handore’s daughter Prajyoti Handore lost from Ward No140.
However, Ankit Prabhu, son of Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA and former mayor Sunil Prabhu, won from Ward No 54. On the other hand, Puja Mahadeshwar, wife of former Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, won from Ward No 87.
Former Deputy Mayors Suhas Wadkar won from Ward No 41, Hemangi Waralikar from Ward No 193, and Alka Kerkar won from Ward No 98. While Wadkar and Waralikar are from the Shiv Sena (UBT), Kerkar belongs to the BJP.
The Shiv Sena had given Mayors, who played a key role in Maharashtra politics - Dr Manohar Joshi, who later became the Maharashtra Chief Minister, union minister and Lok Sabha Speaker. Chhagan Bhujbal, now with Ajit Pawar-led NCP and a minister, had been Deputy Chief Minister in the Congress-NCP Democratic Front government.