BJP names Ritu Tawde as Mumbai mayor candidate, Shiv Sena picks Sanjay Ghadi for dy mayor post
Mumbai (PTI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday nominated corporator Ritu Tawade for the Mumbai mayor election, while its ally Shiv Sena declared Sanjay Ghadi as its candidate for the deputy mayor's post.
BJP leader Amit Satam declared Tawade's name, while Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale announced Ghadi's candidature at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters.
Tawade is a corporator from Ward 132, while Ghadi was elected from Ward 5 in the January 15 civic election.
Ghadi will serve as deputy mayor for 15 months, Shiv Sena secretary Sanjay More has said in a statement.
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He was one of the senior former Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators who switched sides to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
By splitting the deputy mayor's term in Mumbai, the Shiv Sena intends to give an opportunity to four of its corporators.
In the polls to the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while Shiv Sena won 29 seats. The ruling alliance, with a combined strength of 118 corporators, is past the halfway mark of 114 and is well placed to secure the mayor's post.
The Shiv Sena (UBT), which ruled the civic body for 25 years since 1997, won 65 seats, while its allies, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), won six and one seat, respectively.
Among other parties, the Congress won 24 seats, AIMIM eight, the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) three, and the Samajwadi Party two. Two independent candidates also won in the high-stakes election, held after a nine-year gap.
The BMC commissioner has been serving as the state government-appointed administrator since March 7, 2022, following the end of the previous term.
The BMC is the country's richest civic body, with its budget for the 2025-26 pegged at Rs 74,450 crore, which is higher than that of some smaller states.
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PCB to consult its govt on Sri Lanka's request to reconsider India match boycott: sources
Karachi (PTI): Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to again consult its government to decide on the Sri Lankan counterpart's request to reconsider the boycott of the match against India in the T20 World Cup on February 15 in Colombo.
The Pakistan government has allowed the PCB to send the national team to the T20 World Cup but stopped it from playing against India, which is commercially the biggest match for the ICC and its broadcasters.
This has led to Sri Lanka Cricket sending an email to PCB, saying not having the February 15 marquee match between the arch-rivals will cause financial losses to the SLC and also hurt the organisation and image of the tournament in the island country which is jointly hosting the showpiece with India.
Pakistan is playing all its games in Colombo and Pallekele, starting with their match against Netherlands on Saturday.
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“Obviously Pakistan has always enjoyed very close and friendly ties with Sri Lanka at the government to government and cricket level. So the mail from their Board can’t be ignored just like that,” a source aware of the developments said on Saturday.
“Mohsin Naqvi has been contacted directly by the Sri Lankan Board President Shammi Silva and been reminded that at this time Sri Lanka need Pakistan to step up for them as without Pakistan and India matches, the Sri Lankan Board would stand to lose extra revenues from gate money, hospitality sales etc,” the source added.
The source said that Naqvi had assured his counterpart (Shammi Silva) he would consult the government and get back to him.
He said media reports that Pakistan had also rejected Sri Lanka’s request were not correct.
“PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has not even been in the country since yesterday and is due back today. He will bring the email to the notice of the Prime Minister on ending the boycott of the India match and then a decision would be made on the matter by Monday,” the source said.
He noted that as recently as last November, the Sri Lankan government had firmly stood with Pakistan when some of its players wanted to return home from a tour of Pakistan because of security concerns.
“Not only the Sri Lankan Board but the government directed the players to complete the white ball tour.”
