MUMBAI:BJP announced a list of 22 candidates on Saturday, but the suspense remained over the names for three prominent seats in the city: Borivli, Ghatkopar East and Versova. Earlier, BJP had announced its first list of 99 candidates, which included the names of most sitting MLAs. Saturday’s list brings the total to 121 so far.
The second list included names of MLC and Dhangar leader Gopichand Padalkar and Satyajit Deshmukh, who left the NCP in 2019 to join the BJP. Deshmukh’s father was former chairman of the legislative council.
The Borivli and Ghatkopar East seats are considered BJP strongholds, and it is exploring the possibilities of replacing its sitting MLAs with other senior politicians from the party for these seats.
At Versova, the party is yet to decide if it will ask the sitting MLA to contest or introduce a new face. It is stated that BJP’s alliance partner, CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, is interested in the Versova seat, and negotiations are continuing over it.
Of the 22 seats, four were contested by undivided Shiv Sena in alliance with BJP in 2019. BJP has nominated Krishnalal Sahare from Brahmapuri, Karan Deotale from Warora, Ramesh Karad from Latur Rural, and Devendra Kothe from Solapur city.
The list included names of sitting MLAs in five places: Akot (Prakash Bharsakale), Nashik Central (Devyani Pharande), Ulhasnagar (Kumar Uttamchand Ailani), Khadkwasala (Bhimrao Tapkir), and Pune cantonment (Sunil Kamble). In five other places, the party has replaced sitting MLAs with new faces.
As BJP continues its negotiations with Shiv Sena, it remains to be seen how the alliance will shape up and which party will contest from the Versova seat. It is expected the party will announce its next list Sunday.