Empowerment takes center stage in Maharashtra as 15 women are slated to become mayors across the state’s 29 municipal corporations. The pivotal lottery for position reservations unfolded Thursday, graced by Urban Development Minister Madhuri Misal, setting electoral battlelines.
At the forefront, BMC reserves for an open woman, sparking rivalries in BJP’s recent turf after ousting Shiv Sena (UBT). Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar), and Nanded also earmark similar slots, alongside mixed categories in Virar, Bhiwandi, and Solapur.
Post-election, BJP leads but coalitions are crucial. Reliance on allies and independents persists, compounded by Mahayuti’s grassroots tensions allowing intra-alliance contests.
Detailed quotas: 17 open (many women-specific), 8 OBC, 3 SC, 1 ST. Key assignments: Thane SC, Kalyan-Dombivli ST man, Navi Mumbai open woman, Ulhasnagar OBC, Pimpri-Chinchwad open, Nagpur open woman, Ahmednagar OBC woman, Amravati open, Latur SC woman, and further to Jalna SC woman, Panvel OBC, Parbhani open.
High-stakes drama brews in BMC and Pune with women councilors vying intensely. Kalyan-Dombivli’s ST reservation upends strategies, spotlighting scarce leaders and alliance realignments.
This lottery heralds a new era of gender-balanced urban rule, poised to drive progressive policies on housing, transport, and sustainability. Maharashtra’s municipal landscape is refreshingly poised for change.