NCP announces list of 37 candidates for BMC polls

Mumbai, Dec 28 (PTI) The Ajit Pawar-led NCP on Sunday announced its first list of 37 candidates for the January 15 elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has 227 wards.

The second list is expected soon, party MLA Sana Malik told reporters.

Though a constituent of the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition, the NCP is contesting the Mumbai civic polls independently.

Earlier, BJP city chief Ameet Satam had ruled out any truck with the NCP saying its leader Nawab Malik was in-charge of the party’s election management for the BMC polls. Malik has been accused of being involved in money laundering and having links with Dawood Ibrahim’s associates.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced 51 candidates so far.

Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the cash-rich BMC, are scheduled for January 15, and votes will be counted the next day. The last date for filing nominations is December 30.

The Congress is expected to announce its nominees soon. Its screening committee met on Sunday to clear the list of candidates. While it had earlier decided to go solo, the party has now tied up with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), led by B R Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar.

Sources said the Congress will contest more than 150 seats, while some seats will be allocated to the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha and RPI (Gavai). PTI MR NR