Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: BJP’s Sameer Rajurkar Elected Mayor, Shiv Sena’s Rajendra Janjal Deputy Mayor

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Sameer Rajurkar has been elected mayor of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC), while Shiv Sena corporator Rajendra Janjal was elected deputy mayor during elections held on Tuesday.

The election process was conducted at a special meeting of the civic house, chaired by District Collector Deelip Swami, and began at 11am. Rajurkar and Janjal secured 70 votes against 33 votes polled by the opposition candidates. Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) and Shiv Sena (UBT) remained neutral during the voting process.

State OBC Welfare Minister Atul Save, MP Dr Bhagwat Karad, District Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat, MP Sandipan Bhumre and others congratulated Rajurkar and Janjal on their election.

The process began with scrutiny of nomination forms, following which candidates were given 15 minutes to withdraw their nominations. Of the total 115 members in the CSMC house, BJP’s 57 members and Shiv Sena’s 13 members together accounted for 70 votes in favour of Rajurkar and Janjal, cast by a show of hands.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) had fielded candidates for both the mayor’s and deputy mayor’s posts. With a total strength of 33 members, AIMIM’s mayoral candidate Ashok Hiwarale and the deputy mayoral candidate received 33 votes each. Rajurkar and Janjal were declared elected with 70 votes against 33. Four members of the VBA and one member of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) remained neutral, while one Congress member was absent.

After his election, Rajurkar, holding a copy of the Constitution, assured the house that he would function in accordance with constitutional principles. Members present raised slogans in praise of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Sameer Subhash Rajurkar was elected to the corporation from Ward No. 17 D, while Rajendra Himmatrao Janjal was elected from Ward No. 22 D.