While there are only 165 seats in the PMC, the BJP is facing a “problem of plenty” as it received over 2,500 applications from various aspirants, even as it has set aside a few seats for alliance partners Shiv Sena and the Republican Party of India (Athawale). (Representational image/File)
Confident of winning the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) polls for the second consecutive time after having inducted many leaders from other political parties, the city unit of the BJP now appears apprehensive over possible rebellion from within the party as it quietly distributed letters of candidature to a few of its leaders before declaring the final list of candidates.
The filing of nominations for the municipal polls ends on Tuesday afternoon and the city is witnessing hectic political activities with many aspirants, mainly from the BJP, filing their nominations following a personal call from party leaders who have refrained from declaring an official list of candidates.
“The party will declare its list of candidates soon,” said Ganesh Bidkar, who has filed his nomination for the PMC election. He is also the BJP convenor for the civic polls in Pune. The party is contesting the PMC polls in alliance with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Bidkar said he filed the nomination after the BJP sent him an official letter to contest the civic polls. “I am thankful to all the senior leaders of the party, including the chief minister, for giving me the opportunity to contest the civic polls,” he added.
An office-bearer for the BJP said, “The party has called up official candidates personally and asked them to file their nomination for the Pune civic polls. Many candidates are filing their nomination today (Monday),”
Leaders who have filed their nominations so far include the BJP’s Yogesh Mulick and Mahesh Wabale, and the Shiva Sena’s Ulhas Bagul. The polling will take place on January 15, and the results will be declared on January 16.
According to a BJP source, “It was obvious that there will be disappointed leaders who would not get candidature. A few may jump to other political parties to contest civic elections.”
Meanwhile, RPI(A) party workers held a protest outside the city BJP office on Monday, accusing alliance partner BJP of “fooling” them. “There is no information on how many seats the BJP has allotted for the RPI(A) even as their candidates are filing nominations,” an RPI(A) worker said.
A leader of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said the party will also delay announcing its final list of candidates as part of a strategy to rope in rebels from the BJP and its allies to contest on behalf of the NCP wherever possible.
The BJP had won 98 seats in the 2017 PMC elections in which it had targeted to win 125 wards.