Sena names 4 mayor candidates

Shiv SenaThe Shiv Sena has narrowed down its search for nominees for the mayoral to four candidates.

The post has been reserved for a woman from the open category. Elections for mayor will be held on December 1.

Sources said the party is considering one of the four — Dr Anuradha Pednekar (Kurla East), Shraddha Jadhav (Parel), Shubhada Gudekar (Kandivli) and Rajul Patel (Andheri West) — as its mayoral nominee.

Corporator Shraddha Jadhav comes from a family of Sena loyalists from Maharashtrian-dominated Parel.

The Sena’s second option is Shubhada Gudekar, an active worker from Kandivli.

The party may also want to project a highly qualified candidate like Dr Pednekar or Gujarati corporator Rajul Patel.

Jadhav refused to comment. “Balasaheb and Uddhavji will decide the candidate,” she said.

The mayoral election is important, as the Sena wants to retain power in the BMC in the 2012 civic polls after a poor show in the Assembly elections.

“We need a mayor who will become the party’s face and ensure that civic governance is visible,” said a senior Sena leader.

The Congress is also eyeing the post with the help of a few disgruntled Sena corporators. The mayoral candidate needs a simple majority of

114 votes in the 227-member civic House.