NAGPUR: Pravin Datke and Ganesh Pokulwar on Monday assumed the charge as mayor and deputy mayor respectively even as no decision has been taken on appointing new ruling party leader in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation. It was expected that BJP state president Devendra Fadnavis would announce the name but he ended up saying that union minister Nitin Gadkari will finalize the ruling party leader in two days.

Maintaining the tradition of NMC, leaders of all political parties, except NCP group leader Pragati Patil, were present at the public ceremony. While wishing the best for Datke and Pokulwar, the leaders did not fail to take potshots at each other. However, all of them remembered father of the new mayor, the late Prabhakarrao Datke, as a very strong leader and said a lot is expected from his son.

Former mayor Anil Sole got nostalgic while praising Prabhakarrao Datke and said many corporators including him learnt about functioning of the NMC from him. Sole had personally invited Pravin Datke's mother for the ceremony. He stepped down the dais and welcomed her by presenting a bouquet.

Sole further said, "I served as pratodh (party whip) when Prabhakarrao was the ruling party leader. Pravin was pratodh when I became the ruling party leader. And now Pravin has replaced me as mayor."

Fadnavis, who appeared to be in an aggressive mood, said the appointment of ruling party leader was not so urgent and that the media is raising the issue intentionally. "It happens, sometimes there is a delay. Gadkari is going to finalize the ruling party leader in two days," he said.

Fadnavis added that we need proper replacement of Datke. "Datke was a successful ruling party leader. We have to appoint a strong leader like him," he said.

In NMC's circle, Fadnavis' close friend Sandip Joshi is considered as strong as Datke. On Monday, the NMC was abuzz with talks of differences between Gadkari and Fadnavis over naming the ruling party leader.

Once the BJP forms the next government in state, Fadnavis said he plans to introduce new bylaws like ?Mandatory of Delivery in Electronic System' and ?Right to Service' to curb corruption and make civic administration public friendly.

Rahul Telang, corporator of party led by former minister Sulekha Kumbhare who worked for Congress in recent Lok Sabha elections, said, "BJP will surely form government at the state and also again in the NMC in 2017. I request the BJP not to forget small parties like us," he said. Telang is part of the BJP-led ruling alliance Nagpur Vikas Aghadi (NVA) at the NMC.

In a lighter vein, leader of opposition group Vikas Thakre told Telang, "You are always with the government." After completing his speech, Telang went to Thakre and shook hands.

Leader of Muslim League Aslam Khan, also part of NVA, too said BJP was going to win at the state and also in 2017 municipal elections. "But BJP should not forget us after victory," he said.

City BJP president Krishna Khopde said BJP was incorporating and giving chance to young leaders due to which questions are being raised about Congress leadership.

While praising Datke, Thakre took potshots at both Telang and Khan. "It is the job of the opposition group to counter the ruling alliance. The opposition has to ensure that the ruling party is working properly," he said.

Sole said the NMC would soon come out of the financial crisis as the BJP has already formed government at the centre and is likely to win the state elections too. "I could implement various projects due to cooperation from all corporators, administration and citizens. I am sure Datke will take the NMC to new heights and become public-friendly mayor," he said.

Shiv Sena district president Shekhar Sawarbandhe and MNS leader Hemant Gadkari gave balanced views in their speeches.

Datke, once again pointing out at lapses in administration, said he would be able to call his tenure as mayor successful if the inconveniences caused to citizens are reduced by 50%. "I will take forward all the projects launched by Sole. I will not engage in announcing big projects but will take the NMC to the citizens," he said.

Datke also did not forget to take a jibe at women corporators who had worn red saris at the mayor election as a mark of protest against BJP's refusal to appoint a woman mayor. At the end of his speech, Datke said he is the first mayor with whom the women corporators wished to clicked a picture. Majority of BJP women corporators had attended the mayor's election wearing red saris to protest the party's refusal.

Municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane and additional municipal commissioner Hemant Kumar Pawar were present on the dais.

Neeta Thakre, who had led the silent protest by the women corporators, proposed a vote of thanks and hoped that Datke's tenure would be successful.