Mumbai, Jan 21 (PTI) Sixty-four out of 65 members of Shiv Sena (UBT) elected in the recent Mumbai civic body polls completed the mandatory registration process on Wednesday, barring one, which triggered speculation in political circles.
The registration is part of the formalities required ahead of the constitution of the new Mumbai civic body, officials said.
A senior Sena (UBT) leader has dismissed speculation about the absence of Dr Sheetal Mhaske at the divisional commissioner’s office, Konkan Bhavan, in Navi Mumbai.
He said Mhaske has not gone incommunicado and has been in contact with the Sena (UBT).
Mhaske was elected from ward number 157 in the Chandivali area of eastern Mumbai in the January 15 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. She secured 14,749 votes in the recent polls, defeating her nearest BJP rival, Asha Tayade.
In the high-stakes battle, the BJP-Shiv Sena combine ended the nearly three-decade-old monopoly of the Thackerays on the country’s richest civic body, paving the way for installing a Mahayuti mayor.
A total of 64 newly-elected members were present for the registration, barring Mhaske, said a Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator-elect who was part of the group that visited Konkan Bhavan.
He was unaware of the reason behind Mhaske’s absence and whether she had informed the Sena (UBT) leadership about skipping the registration process.
Mhaske could not be reached for a comment.
A senior BMC official said after completing the registration, the corporators-elect need to submit the receipt to BMC’s municipal secretary office along with their winning certificates. However, the Sena (UBT) members didn’t arrive at the BMC headquarters to submit the documents, he added.
Apart from 64 corporators-elect of the Sena (UBT), 24 members of the Congress have completed the registration process so far. On Monday, a notification on the names of all the 227 elected members of the BMC was published in the Maharashtra Government Gazette (Extraordinary).
Meanwhile, former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar has been named as the group leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the BMC, according to party leaders.
The appointment comes as the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are expected to have a majority in the BMC.
Pednekar had served as mayor during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the split in the Shiv Sena in 2022, she stayed with Uddhav Thackeray. PTI KK ND NSK
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