Though the veteran did not seek re-election, Schulter strongly supported his former associate Tom O'Donnell for 47th Ward, the council seat vacated by the veteran councilman.Pawar, an expert on emergency preparedness at Northwestern University, is currently working on his third master's degree. He won with slightly more than half of the votes polled and noted that his family's immigrant background did not matter in the election.
Chicago city's budget problems had motivated him to contest the election, he said, adding that he would donate $ 50,000 of his salary to community work. The budget shortfall of Chicago, known as the Windy City, is $ 700 million.Pawar had conducted a grass-roots campaign and was stunned at the election outcome.The Chicago Sun-Times described his reaction as "speechless" and he told TV station ABC 7 that it was an "amazing" victory."I had not planned for this moment," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper. "Up until four weeks ago, it was just five or six of us knockings on every door ... The community really got behind us."The Center Square Journal, an online publication, said, citing him, "In the last four weeks, we went from a small four-person organisation to hundreds of you."The Chicago Tribune, in a news article, said the newspaper editorial board has been impressed by the Indian-American's credentials and ideas.Members of the council are also known as aldermen.