Mangesh Pawar elected Mayor of Belagavi city corporation

Mangesh Pawar, who was elected Mayor of Belagavi city corporation, and Vani Vilas Joshi who was elected Deputy Mayor, in Belagavi on March 14, 2025.
| Photo Credit: BADIGER PK

Mangesh Pawar was elected the Mayor of Belagavi city corporation and Vani Vilas Joshi was elected the deputy Mayor, on March 14. Both were elected unopposed.

Mr. Pawar and Ms. Joshi were elected from wards in the Belagavi South Assembly constituency. They are identified as loyal followers of Abhay Patil, MLA from Belagavi South.

BJP has a 60% seats in the 58-member House. It has 35 members, apart from three legislators who are eligible to vote. The post of Mayor was unreserved while that of Deputy Mayor was reserved for general category woman.

Mr. Pawar is a member from ward number 41 and Ms Joshi is a member from ward number 44.

Mr. Pawar was disqualified from his membership of the House on the charges of conflict of interest and office of profit. Regional Commissioner Sanjay Shettannanavar had disqualified him following an inquiry that revealed that he had misused his position to obtain some shops in the Khau Katta eat street, a public amenity built by the PWD and operated by the BCC, for his wife. However, he challenged the decision in the High Court of Karnataka. The court allowed him to vote and participate in the polls.

Mr. Shettannanavar announced the election of Mr. Pawar and Ms. Joshi. He congratulated them and offered bouquets in the presence of BCC Commissioner B. Shubha and other officers.

Earlier, senior leaders announced the names of the candidates after a meeting of elected BCC members. MP Jagadish Shettar and MLC N. Ravikumar spoke to the members. There were three aspirants for the post of Mayor and five for Deputy Mayor.

Former MLA Anil Benake said that the opinion of each BCC member was taken before the candidates were finalised. MLA Abhay Patil has congratulated the winners.