Civic polls: BJP suspends 58 functionaries in Mumbai, Nagpur for dissent, indiscipline

Mumbai, Jan 10 (PTI) The BJP has suspended 58 functionaries from Mumbai and Nagpur for a period of six years for breach of party discipline in the run up to the January 15 polls to 29 municipal corporations, the action coming amid dissent marking the campaign of almost all major outfits and alliances in the state.

The suspended leaders include former mayors, corporators and key workers, who are accused of rebellion against official candidates, attempts to tarnish the party's image and failure to cooperate with Mahayuti contestants, Bharatiya Janata Party sources said on Saturday.

The 58 comprise 26 in the metropolis, including Divya Dhole (Ward 60, Versova), Nehal Amar Shah (Ward 177, Matunga), Janhavi Rane (Ward 205, Abhyudayanagar), Asawari Patil (Ward 2, Borivli, currently contesting from Shiv Sena UBT), Mohan Ambekar (Ward 166, Kurla), Dhanashree Baghel (Ward 131, Pantnagar), they added.

The 32 persons suspended in Nagpur include Vinayak Dehankar, husband of former mayor Archana Dehankar, as well as former corporators Sunil Agrawal and Dheeraj Chavan, these party sources said. The suspension orders were issued by Nagpur BJP president Dayashankar Tiwari.

Results of polls to 29 municipal corporations will be announced on January 16.

The campaign has seen high levels of acrimony on the back of constituents of the two major alliances, Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi, fighting separately in some cities and in new and unlikely formations in others. PTI ND BNM