Sandip Joshi steps down as Mayor

 

 

 

While the atmosphere in city is getting colder and colder due to drop in mercury, political field is however hotting up as Mayor Sandip Joshi announced his resignation on Monday. Just out from 14-day quarantine period, Joshi told mediapersons that as per internal agreement within Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) he is qutting from the post of Mayor. The remaining term of Mayor, a tenure of 13 months, now goes to senior most corporator Dayashankar Tiwari as was decided by party high command during last year. Tiwari will also lead the BJP campaign in the next general election to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) house in year 2022. Joshi, who was down with COVID-19 and showing signs of fatigue, drove down to civic headquarters just to honour the party's diktat. “By clinging on to post of Mayor, I did not want to dilute the high standards of BJP where we value discipline and directions of party leadership. Hence I am stepping down from post of Mayor as per pre-agreed decision”, announced Joshi at the press conference convened on Monday at short notice.

 

It may be mentioned that Joshi had unsuccessfully contested the recent election to Nagpur Division's Graduate's constituency, a BJP bastion that was wrested by Congress Party nominee Abhijeet Wanjari. Joshi said that he had a talk with BJP’s city unit chief Pravin Datke and informed him about his decision to resign since the tenure of 13 months is drawing to an end. He had assumed the charge of Mayor on November 22, 2019 and was to remain in post for a period of 13-months, that is till mid January. Political grapevine has it that loss in the Graduates’ constituency prompted Joshi’s move to step down as Mayor was miffed that party machinery failed to work as per strategy resulting in his defeat. He however shied away from commenting and when asked Mayor said only after proper analysis something concrete would emerge. Since he was down just after results, not much thought was given to factors that led to BJP's defeat in its bastion.

 

Joshi however said his tenure of 13 months was full of challenges, the most important was negotiating the minefield due to onset of COVID-10 pandemic. Marshalling the resources and machinery and ensuring safety of citizens in time of pandemic was high on mind and though the situation was quite tricky, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) managed to hold its fort. Since no one has foreseen it nor was there any previous experience of handling pandemic like this for everyone, it was a learning time. As to run off with then Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, Mayor said it's for everyone to analyse. During the time of Mundhe and post his transfer everyone knows how NMC rose to time while increasing number of ambulances from just two to twenty and now to 65, increasing hospital beds by tying up with 65 hospital from previous just five, the joint working by elected representatives and administration ensured welfare of masses at large.

 

While everyone has his or her style of working but in public life one cannot be obstinate as it does not pay off and citizens unnecessarily suffer. He criticised then Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe for withholding utilisation of fund from Mayor's discretionary fund for construction of Sulabh Souchalay at major market places. Joshi listed several new initiatives during his tenure like setting-up of Mayor Relief Fund, Hello Mayor App, Breakfast with Representatives of NGOs, Walk and Talk with Mayor etc. Joshi specifically mentioned the improved ranking in cleanliness wherein Nagpur jumped to 18th position from earlier 58th place. This was possible due to Mummy-Pappa You Too campaign initiated in city by roping in school children to create awareness in society. Deputy Mayor Manish Kothe, Sandeep Jadhav, Ruling Party Leader, Vijay Zalke, Chairperson, Standing Committee, besides Pravin Datke, President, BJP, Nagpur city unit, and Dayashankar Tiwari were also present during the media interaction held at Mayor's office in civic headquarters. Sandip Jadhav, Ruling Party Leader, said that BJP’s Parliamentary Board will take decision about Deputy Mayor.

New Mayor in January The election of new Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be held in the next meeting of NMC’s House slated for next month. Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B has notified the resignation of Mayor and his Deputy to District Collector and Divisional Commissioner. Election programme is going to be notified wherein nomination and withdrawal and thereafter election in general body meeting will take place. Since BJP has three fourth majority in NMC House, the election is just a formality. Since Mayor too was in quarantine the monthly meeting of December is not possible and now that he has resigned there is now no chance. So the next meeting, probably in first week of January 2021, will be held for electing new Mayor and Deputy Mayor.