Defeated aspirants lobby for MBMC seats

Hectic lobbying is on in the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and Congress to bag the five seats reserved in the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) for nominated corporators.

Since the number of corporators each party can nominate depends on the number of seats won, the BJP with 61 corporators will be able to nominate three more members followed by the Sena and Congress with one each.

Government norms clearly states that people aspiring for co-opted seats should have two years’ experience as commissioner, five years as assistant commissioner, five years’ experience of a social organisation, or should be professionals like lawyers, engineers or doctors within the civic jurisdiction.

However, influential leaders who lost the MBMC polls are now lobbying hard for these five seats which is their final chance to make it to the decision making body.

While the queues at the backdoor of each party is long, the outrage would be worth seeing as the parties are saddled with promises which is sure to go unfulfilled for many. Interestingly, almost all the parties have been following the traditional ritual of nominating politicians, mainly those defeated as a rehabilitation gesture. Though the nominated corporators do not get voting rights in the proceedings of the general civic body, they are treated on par with elected corporators and are also allotted funds, honorarium and other perks. The practice of nominating members was initiated with an aim to nominate consensus candidates who are experts in various fields.