PUNE: In the State Urban Development Department draw of lots for mayoral reservations on Wednesday, it became clear that the city will get a mayor from the general category. At present, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) mayoral post is held by a woman as per the mayoral reservation draw conducted in 2017 by the State government. 

Municipal Secretary Sunil Parkhi said, “After 2015, an open category candidate will get a chance to become the mayor. Till date, a woman from the open category got the chance to become the mayor. The tenure of the current mayor will end on November 22. The post of Pune mayor is currently reserved for a woman (open category) candidate, which will change after the draw of the State government.”
 
Mayor Mukta Tilak’s tenure will end on November 22, when she completes her tenure of two-and-a-half years. Recently, she was elected MLA by winning the Kasba Peth seat. However, she has not resigned as mayor.
  
There are 164 corporators in the PMC. The BJP has the majority with 98 corporators. Therefore, the party will offer the mayor’s post to one of their corporators. 

Though Pune’s mayoral reservation is for the open category, candidates from other categories can also fight the election. 

The lottery was held on Wednesday afternoon in the presence of Principal Secretary (Urban Development-2) at Parishad Sabhagriha at the Mantralaya in Mumbai. 

Next mayor may be from Kothrud
After the draw, some BJP corporators started lobbying to get elected as the mayor. Normally, the party is likely to choose a senior corporator for the post. The BJP made Mukta Tilak the mayor as she is representing Kasba Peth, a party stronghold in the city. Now, a senior corporator from Kothrud area, another BJP bastion, may become the new mayor. 

In the recent Assembly polls, BJP lost two seats in the city - Vadgaonsheri and Hadapsar. According to internal party sources, BJP will also consider the two defeats while choosing the mayor.