Kolhapur set to elect mayor after 6 years

Kolhapur: The mayor and deputy mayor of Kolhapur will be elected on Friday, with polling scheduled for 11am under the supervision of collector Amol Yedge. The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation is conducting mayoral elections after nearly six years. With Mahayuti holding a clear majority, its candidates are expected to secure both posts, although Congress has decided to contest the elections too.From Mahayuti, BJP's Ruparani Nikam has filed her nomination for mayor's post, while Congress has fielded Sachin Shende. For the deputy mayor's post, the contest is between Durvas Kadam of Congress and Akshay Jarag from the Jan Surajya Shakti Party. In the 81-member House, the Mahayuti commands 46 corporators — BJP (26), Shiv Sena (15), NCP (4) and Jan Surajya Shakti Party (1). MVA has 35 corporators — 34 from Congress and one from Shiv Sena (UBT).Despite their numerical advantage, Mahayuti leaders opted for a cautious approach. On Thursday, all Mahayuti corporators were shifted to two hotels in Kolhapur, from where they will travel together to the municipal corporation at 10am to cast their votes. MVA corporators remained at their homes.A BJP office bearer said party whips were issued by group leaders of BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress and other parties. This makes it mandatory for corporators in both alliances to vote for their official candidates. Strict action will be taken against any corporator who violates the whip, the leader added.In a significant development, Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Pratidnya Utture has been appointed as the group leader of her party — the first woman to hold this position in KMC history. Utture, the lone corporator from Shiv Sena (UBT), was elected from Ward No. 15B and had previously served as a corporator between 2015 and 2020, during which she chaired the transport committee. With her appointment and the party's separate registration with the divisional commissioner, Shiv Sena (UBT) will have an independent identity within MVA at KMC.