A notification issued on Friday by the State Urban Development Department, while formally informing the scrapping of the MiC, has directed the municipal commissioner to initiate procedure to elect the new mayor within seven days of receiving the notification.

It further said that while electing the new mayor, the reservation pattern adopted during election of chairperson of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation general body, Kalpana Pande, in February this year be maintained. It means that the new mayor would be a woman from the open category.

Ever since the MiC pattern in Mumbai and Nagpur was scrapped, moves were on in the BJP to find a replacement to Devendra Phadanvis. Sources told that it was expected that the roster system applicable to the mayor's post before adoption of MiCsystem would not be disturbed and hence the mayor's post would be reserved for OBC was to be taken into account. The speculation had led to search of probable candidates in the ruling BJP.

Some of the aspirants whose names made rounds were Corporators Chotu Bhoyar, Madhukar Tambakhe, Mohan Mate etc. But with Friday's order, all speculations have been laid to rest.

On the other hand, the order has generated tremendous enthusiasm among woman corporators within the party. According to some party leaders, Kalpana Pande was likely to emerge a strong contender for the post. Pande was elected chairperson just two months back and hence her candidature was likely to gain weight.