Nagpur: Nearly three months after the civic polls, the ruling party in Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has now turned its focus to consolidating control at the zonal level, with elections for chairpersons of all 10 zones likely to be held mid-April.According to sources, the elections are expected on April 17, while nominations will be filed a day earlier. The move marks the next political step for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which already enjoys a comfortable majority in the 151-member House. With 102 corporators, the party is set to dominate eight of the 10 zones — Laxmi Nagar, Dharampeth, Hanuman Nagar, Dhantoli, Nehru Nagar, Gandhibagh, Satranjipura and Lakadganj — ensuring near-total administrative control at the grassroots level.The Indian National Congress is expected to retain control only in Mangalwari zone, where it has a clear majority of 11 corporators and is also likely to nominate a woman corporator for the zonal chairperson’s post. However, the picture remains unclear in Ashi Nagar zone, which is likely to witness a tight political contest. Congress has seven corporators in the zone, the same number as the alliance of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). With one corporator each from BJP and BSP in the zone, the outcome could depend on post-poll alliances. If AIMIM-IUML manages to secure the support of the lone BSP corporator, they could stake claim to the zonal chairman post.The elections assume significance as they come after the mayoral and deputy mayor elections held on Feb 6, following the civic poll results declared on Jan 16. Since then, BJP leadership has steadily strengthened its hold over key decision-making bodies in the corporation. Having already crossed the majority mark in eight zones, the party has decided to nominate only women corporators as zonal chairpersons, repeating the formula used in the mayoral, deputy mayor and standing committee appointments. Meanwhile, the administration is also planning to conduct elections to the fire consultative committee on the same day. The panel’s election was postponed after former mayor and BJP corporator Mayatai Ivnate was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Her swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for April 8. The ruling party is set to replace Ivnate with two-time BJP corporator Rupali Thakur as chairperson of the fire committee.Ruling party leader Narendra Borkar confirmed that the nomination process for 10 nominated members will be taken up in the next general body meeting, a move that could further strengthen the BJP’s dominance in the corporation.
