MUMBAI: Eight percent of the city's newly elected corporators are between the age of 21 years and 30. And 14 of the total 19 are women.Many have been mentored by fathers who bequeathed their political legacy after their constituencies were reserved.Yet each is overcome by mixed feelings of excitement and trepidation during the wait to enter the civic portals for the first time as elected representatives.Twenty-six-year-old Congresswoman Nikita Nikam is an alumnus of HR College and Symbiosis Pune. The daughter of three-time corporator Dnyanraj Nikam, Nikita defeated no less than Waqarunnisa Ansari, who defected to the MIM recently .Pictures of Nikita wearing the hijab and campaigning in conservative Dongri showed how the youngster has adapted to her voters' milieu. She said, "I love the hijab. And honestly my father did see me as the best fit for the job. More than educational qualifications, voters want an emotional connect from their corporator. I am willing to learn and I am dedicated to my task so that things are smooth."Another graduate winner is the Shiv Sena 's Akanksha Shetye of Chandivli. The well-spoken woman was groomed by her uncle, former corporator Ishwar Tayde. "I beat the nearest BJP candidate by 573 votes mainly because my locality is familiar with his social work.We will address the problem of double parking and traffic woes for affluent constituents and water and SRA rehab schemes for the poor," Akanksha said midway through a group meeting of Sena winners with Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday .Dahisar has gained 23-yearold Harshad Karkar of the Shiv Sena. He is taking an MBA in marketing and inherits the legacy of his ailing father, a twotime councillor. "I won 11,355 votes against the BJP's 9,600, so have a responsibility that comes with it. I was anxious when I stood for election, but the feeling is slowly settling," he said. In an ominous sign, it does seem as if certain women winners are starting out as proxies for male relatives. The phone numbers provided on certain affidavits belong to husbands and fathers who "manage their affairs".The SP's Shaera Khan (29) won Govandi-Shivaji Nagar.Her phone was answered by her husband Fahad, who said, "I convinced her to apply since service to mankind is a religious duty . This area is a stronghold of our MLA Abu Asim Azmi. She will resolve the dumping ground pollution issue as well as issues water and SRA re hab." Asked about her plans for the area, she retorted, "Would I enter the election if I did not have plans?" Naziya Sofi of the NCP is merely 29 and will now take charge of Jogeshwari. Her husband, Abdul Jabbar, said he has been "training his purdah-clad wife in all civic matters for six months". Delimitation turned this into an OBC women's ward."She won by 1,000 votes and will be busy now. We have two children and fortunately my sisterin-law and mother will manage the home in her absence," Jabbar said.The "matters" of SP winner Ayesha Bano Khan of ward 138 are handled by a relative, Irfan Khan, who did not let TOI speak to her and then declined calls.Interestingly , Bano's affidavit mentions her spouse's name as 'Ayesha Bano Khan' throughout. The hectic campaign seems to have taken a toll on certain winners. Mumbai's youngest corporator, at 21, is Ayesha Shaikh of the Samajwadi Party from ward 137. On Saturday afternoon, a family member said the class nine dropout was sleeping. Ayesha did not take calls later. The BJP's GenNext leader Neil Somaiya was not available for comment.

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