BMC polls: BJP to contest 195 seats; leaves 32 for allies

Mumbai: The BJP will contest 195 seats in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the elections for which are scheduled on February 21.

Unlike the last BMC polls in 2012, BJP is contesting this election sans any tie-up with old ally Shiv Sena.

On January 26, Uddhav had announced that his party would contest the upcoming civic polls in the state all alone, putting to rest speculations about forging of ties with its ally BJP.

Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar declared the list of candidates late last night.

The party has left 32 seats for its allies.

Today is the last day of filing nominations for polls to India’s richest civic body.

A statement issued by Shelar early today said the BJP has fielded 117 ‘Marathi’ candidates.

Some nominations in the list have raised eyebrows as they are kin of BJP leaders.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya’s son Neil has been nominated from ward no 108 in Mulund West.

Deepak Thakur, son of Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Women and Child Development Vidya Thakur, will contest from ward no 50 in Goregaon.

Besides, city BJP chief Ashish Shelar’s brother Vinod will contest from ward 51. Vinod is a sitting corporator from Malad, but his ward is now reserved for women.

In Colaba, legislator Raj Purohit’s son Aakash will be the party candidate from ward no 222. Aakash is politically active in the area and was a BJP nominee on BEST committee.

BJP legislator Ameet Satam’s brother-in-law Rohan Rathod will contest from ward no 68 in Andheri West.

In the neighbouring Versova, the BJP has nominated Yogiraj Dhabhalkar in ward no 60. He is legislator Bharti Lavekar’s nephew.