NASHIK: The upcoming Nashik Municipal Corporation election has become a matter of prestige for all political parties. On the one hand, Mahavikas Aghadi is trying to stop the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, while on the other hand, some stalwarts are using the language of self-reliance, i.e., going solo. Similarly, Maharashtra Nirman Sena is also getting ready to regain its lost glory.
In order to maintain its stronghold in the political battle in Nashik, the number of visits of senior leaders of various political parties to Nashik has increased. Against this backdrop, local leaders will have a big responsibility.
The central Nashik part of the city is considered to be the most prestigious and keenly fought to grab power in the municipal corporation. The posts of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Standing Committee Chairman were filled by the corporators from old Nashik, but it is also being alleged that the expected development has not taken place yet. This will definitely tarnish the reputation of stalwarts in the upcoming civic polls.
Many big leaders will also be contesting this year. This will make the contest in old Nashik multi-cornered. Central Nashik is known as a composite part of the city. This place has a large population of Hindus, Muslims, Dalits etc. If there are various festivals and processions in the city, these processions start from this place.
In the last few years, Nashik has witnessed rapid development, new settlements have been created and multi-storeyed buildings have been built. But the tradition of old Nashik is still the same. As a result, the style of campaigning here, which is older than other places, is more noticeable. There are already signs of elections being held in the same manner this year.
Central Nashik is considered an important part for various political parties. Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Devyani Farande has been here since 2014. In the 2009 elections, Vasant Gite of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena was elected as MLA. Earlier, Dr Shobha Bachhav of Congress had led Nashik city, while Dr Daulatrao Aher of BJP had been MLA for three consecutive terms.
Formerly Nashik was a constituency, and then Central Nashik became independent. Now, again in Central Nashik, planning has started for who will be elected in 2024. Against this backdrop, the strength of Shiv Sena has increased in old Nashik due to former MLA Vasant Gite, who returned to Shiv Sena after joining Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and later Bharatiya Janata Party.
Similarly, former mayor Vinayak Pandey, former Standing Committee Chairman Sanjay Chavan, Municipal Corporation Leader of Opposition Ajay Boraste, former Mayor Yatin Wagh, former corporator Naiya Khaire, Azim Syed of Vahatuk Sena, Sachin Marathe and other established leaders will have the responsibility of Central Nashik.
As a result, attention has been drawn to how Shiv Sena is performing in wards 17, 18, 19, 20 and 28 in Nashik. Similarly, senior leaders like Satish Kulkarni, a senior leader who is currently in power in the Municipal Corporation and a corporator of Ward 23 in Nashik, MLA Devyani Farande, Suhas Farande, Nana Shiledar, Gopal Patil and other senior leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party will also be responsible for maintaining the party stronghold in Central Nashik.
With the change of power in Maharashtra, the Mahavikas Aghadi government came to power. NCP is also involved in this and it seems that veteran leader of NCP and District Guardian Minister Chhagan Bhujbal is making special plans to hoist the NCP flag in the Municipal Corporation.
In old Nashik, senior NCP leaders Gajanan Shelar, Asif Mulani, Anand Sonawane, Sanjay Khairnar, Salim Sheikh and other leaders will have a big responsibility on their shoulders too. In the same way, the responsibility of maintaining a stronghold for Congress will be on its senior leadership. It shows that senior leaders and current group leaders Shahu Khaire, Vatsala Khaire, Dr Hemlata Patil, Bablu Khaire, Dr Vasant Thakur, Hanif Bashir of Minority Congress are working for it.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena also does not lag behind in planning for municipal elections. Along with its district president Ankush Pawar, the party’s youth and women’s front leaders are working hard this year. As Old Nashik is a mixed population area, a large number of independents are also active in these wards. Therefore, the reputation of other leaders, including the sitting corporator of Ward 14, Mushir Syed, will be at stake.
Nashik Municipal Corporation came into existence in 1992. Old Nashik got its first mayoral post in the form of senior leader Shantaram Bapu Vavre. After this, Panditrao Khaire, Vasant Gite, Vinayak Pandey, Yatin Wagh, Ashok Dive and other leaders of Central Nashik have got the opportunity to become the first citizen of Nashik.
It will be interesting to see which party will come to power in the 2022 Nashik Municipal Corporation elections and which ward will lead the NMC House through the mayoral post.
