Four major municipal corporations in Maharashtra’s Mumbai Metropolitan Region witnessed a change in civic leadership on Tuesday, with new mayors elected in Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayandar, and Ulhasnagar, marking the return of elected representatives after long periods of administrator-led governance in some cities.
Sharmila Pimplolkar takes charge as mayor in Thane
In Thane, Sharmila Pimplolkar of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena was elected unopposed as the 23rd mayor of the Thane Municipal Corporation, as per report by PTI. BJP’s Krishna Patil was named as deputy mayor.
Speaking after her election, Pimplolkar stated that she was surprised to be chosen despite several contenders within her party.
“My active social work in my ward, the goodwill of my residents and colleagues, and the support of party seniors helped me reach this point,” she mentioned while addressing the media, as quoted by Times of India. She also gave credit to the Mahayuti alliance in Thane and praised Eknath Shinde for carrying forward the late Anand Dighe’s vision for the city.
Harshali Chaudhary was elected unopposed from Kalyan-Dombivli
In the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), Harshali Chaudhary of the Shiv Sena was elected mayor, while Rahul Damle of the BJP became deputy mayor, PTI report stated. The election was conducted at the civic headquarters and was overseen by Mumbai City district collector Aanchal Goyal. Both leaders were elected unopposed after verification of nomination papers.
Chaudhary thanked the people of Kalyan-Dombivli and said she would focus on transparent governance and public service, PTI reported.
Dimpal Mehta was chosen from Mira-Bhayandar
In Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation, Dimpal Mehta, a BJP corporator from Ward No. 12, was elected mayor, while Dhruvkishor Patil of the BJP became deputy mayor, according to PTI.
Mehta has previously served as mayor and has been active in local civic politics. Her election triggered protests and political criticism from groups such as the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti, who argued that the city should have a Marathi-speaking mayor, as reported by Sunday Guardian. The BJP, however, has maintained that her experience and electoral mandate were the reason for her selection.
Ashwini Nikam elected mayor in Ulhasnagar
Meanwhile, in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, Ashwini Nikam of the Shiv Sena was elected mayor, while Amar Lund of the BJP was elected deputy mayor, PTI reported.
Shiv Sena-BJP alliance strategy
The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance has adopted a rotation formula in some civic bodies, with mayoral and deputy mayoral tenures set at 15 months, allowing multiple corporators to serve in leadership roles during the full term, as per PTI.