BMC Poll Lottery Reshuffles Political Equations: Veterans Lose Strongholds, Others Eye Comeback

After nearly four years of waiting, aspirants vying for a shot at the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections finally saw their fate revealed in the reservation lottery held on Tuesday. The reshuffle of ward allocations has shaken up Mumbai’s political landscape, ousting several senior corporators from their long-held bastions while giving new opportunities to others to stage a comeback.

However, the new draw is expected to intensify competition as heavyweights prepare to shift to neighbouring wards, setting the stage for a fierce contest.

Four Years of Waiting Ends for BMC Aspirants

The term of the elected corporators ended on March 8, 2022, but the delay in holding elections left many aspirants frustrated and uncertain about their political future.

With the reservation lottery finally conducted, hundreds of candidates now know where they stand. Mumbai has a total of 227 electoral wards, with 50% reserved for women candidates across SC, ST, OBC, and General categories.

Political Heavyweights on the Losing Side

Several prominent leaders have found themselves on the losing end of the draw, as their traditional wards are no longer available under their respective reservation categories.

Among those affected are:

Former Mayor Snehal Ambekar (Ward 198 – Worli)

Former Leader of Opposition Ravi Raja (Ward 176 – Sion)

Former Standing Committee Chairman Yashwant Jadhav (Ward 209 – Byculla)

Former Mayor Vishakha Raut (Ward 191 – Dadar)

Former Mayor Milind Vaidya (Mahim Koliwada)

Tejasvee Ghosalkar (Ward 1 – Dahisar), whose husband Abhishek Ghosalkar was shot dead last year.

Others hit by the reshuffle include Ashish Chemburkar, Anil Patankar, Sadanand Parab, Mangesh Satamkar, Adv. Makarand Narvekar, Harshita Narvekar, Neil Somaiya, and Congress leader Sufiyan Vanu.

For these leaders, the new reservation matrix means relocating to new wards or possibly stepping back from active contest.

Veterans Who Escaped the Reshuffle

On the brighter side, several seasoned corporators and influential leaders have emerged unscathed from the lottery’s reallocation.

Among them are:

Former Mayor Kishori Pednekar (Shiv Sena – UBT faction)

Former Deputy Mayors Suhas Wadkar and Hemangi Worlikar

Former Corporator Sachin Padwal

Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre

Former Health Committee Chairman Amey Ghole

Former BJP Deputy Mayor Alka Kerkar

Former BJP Group Leader Prabhakar Shinde

Former Corporator Akash Purohit

Former Improvement Committee Chairman Prakash Gangadhare

From the opposition, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) President Rakhi Jadhav, NCP’s Saeeda Khan, Akhil Bhartiya Sena’s Geeta Gawli, and Congress leader Ashraf Azmi have retained their wards, giving them a clear runway to contest the upcoming polls.

High-Stakes Battle Ahead

With the reshuffle altering the political map of Mumbai, new alliances and rivalries are expected to emerge. As displaced leaders seek alternate wards and established figures gear up for re-election, the BMC polls are shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent years.