Mumbai: Fifteen days after the 2026 BMC elections concluded, the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) corporators will register today with the  Konkan division commissioner, at Konkan Bhavan today (Monday, February 2). The two parties fought the BMC elections as Mahayuti, and it was said until last week that the two parties will register their newly elected corporators as a single group. However, Mumbai BJP President Ameet Satam confirmed that the BJP and Shinde Sena corporators will register seperately. 

The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS and other parties’ corporators registered with the Konkan commissioner within days after the civic poll results were declared. While the BJP and Shiv Sena corporators were scheduled to register last Thursday. However, following the accidental death of ex-Dy CM Ajit Pawar and three-days state mourning, the registration was postponed.

Although, Shinde Sena has not taken back their demand for mayoral post and standing commitee, considering the winning numbers, the mayoral and standing commitee posts are more likely to fall into BJP’s kitty. There were talks that Shinde Sena is demanding mayoral post and willing to give away standing committee to the BJP, however, both the parties have not officially confirmed their decision yet. Apart from standing committee, the improvement, education, health and BEST are also crucial committees for which the chairman’s posts are to be divided among the Mahayuti.

In the reservation lottery, it is determined that the post of Mumbai major has been reserved for General (Women) category, and senior corporators like BJP Alka Kerkar, who is also deputy mayor; and Rajashree Shirwadkar, whose husband is general secretary of Mumbai BJP are top contenders for the post of Mayor of Mumbai.

Once all the newly elected corporators are registered with the Konkan commissioner and municipal secretary, the administrative procedure for the mayoral elections will begin. The mayoral elections will be held at least week after corporators’ registration. The mayor of Mumbai is expected to be elected in second week of February. 

The leader is opposition is said to be from Shiv Sena (UBT). The party has already selected former mayor, Kishori Pednekar as it’s group leader. The leader of opposition is expected to be announced after mayor and deputy mayor is elected.

The chairman’s and members of the statutory committees will be appointed after that.

The BMC polls results for all 227 seats were declared on January 16, in which BJP emerged as the largest party winning 89 seats and Shinde Sena won 29. The Shiv Sena (UBT) won 65 and MNS won six. The Congress which contested in alliance with VBA won 24 seats, NCP won three and NCP (SP) won one. While AIMIM win eight seats and SP won two.

Palghar: The police have successfully reunited a man with his family a decade after he went missing, following a special operation to reopen and solve long-pending cases, officials said on Sunday.

The man, identified as Praveen Pawar (39), had left his home in Palghar district in 2016 after a dispute with his parents. Since then, he remained untraceable, despite efforts by his family to locate him.

Pawar, who is originally from Ahilyanagar, was working at a hospital in Vikramgadh in Palghar district at the time he went missing. After leaving home, he cut off all contact with his family, leaving them uncertain about his whereabouts for nearly 10 years.

The breakthrough came under Operation Muskan-14, a special programme launched by Palghar Superintendent of Police Yatish Deshmukh to trace missing children and adults by revisiting old and unsolved cases. As part of the drive, police teams reopened Pawar’s case and began following fresh leads using modern investigative techniques.

Wada police station inspector Dattatray Kindre said Pawar was traced to Delhi on Saturday with the help of technical investigation, human intelligence, and social media tracking.

Police officials said formalities are currently being completed to ensure Pawar’s safe return and reunion with his parents. The case has been cited as a major success of Operation Muskan, highlighting how renewed investigation and technology can help solve long-forgotten missing person cases.

Mumbai, Feb 2: Gold and silver extended their decline on Monday, as hike in margin requirements are set to take effect on Chicago Merchantile Exchange (CME) in the US.

MCX gold February futures fell 1.77 per cent to Rs 1,45,132 per 10 grams on an intra-day basis. Meanwhile MCX silver March futures dipped 6.88 per cent to Rs 2,47,386 per kg.

Analysts said the free fall of gold and silver from their record highs started after the US President Donald Trump selected Kevin Warsh as the next US Fed Chairman. Investors reacted negatively because Warsh is considered more aggressive on interest-rate policy than earlier chairs, they added.

The decline was further supported by a stronger U.S. dollar, higher Treasury yields, and upbeat US inflation data (PPI and core PPI). As import duty was kept unchanged in the Union Budget the domestic premium in bullion suffered, said Rahul Kalantri, VP Commodities, Mehta Equities Ltd.

In international markets silver could find support near $68, while gold may hold around $4,510 this week, analysts forecasted. Spot gold recovered considerably after dropping 4 per cent in early morning session on Monday, during the Asian trading hours.

“Gold has support at Rs 1,39,650 to Rs 1,36,310 zone while resistance at Rs 1,48,850 and Rs 1,50,950. Silver has support at Rs 2,48,810 and Rs 2,37,170 while resistance at Rs 2,78,810 and Rs 2,95,470,” the analyst said.

According to them, the broader market trend for COMEX gold remains constructive, even as the recent vertical rally pushed momentum indicators into overbought territory, leading to heat-driven profit booking and mild price digestion from elevated levels.

Structural supply deficits and steady industrial demand continue to underpin the bullish bias in silver. Persistent safe-haven demand, steady central-bank accumulation, and expectations of accommodative global monetary conditions continue to underpin prices of yellow metal.

A recent report from WhiteOak Capital Mutual Fund said that investors should trim precious metals allocation back to a safe‑haven allocation level, especially on the silver as its valuation had reached the most over-extended level relative to historical periods.