Last-minute lists kept Cong, BJP hopefuls on edge

With the parties playing it close to their chest and not announcing their list for the MCD elections till the last date of nomination on Monday, ticket aspirants had several nervous moments.

Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress tried to keep it as close to the deadline as possible to quell the chances of rebel candidates -- party workers contesting as independents against the official nominee because of being denied tickets.

Many aspirants were tense as they had not heard from their party, whereas, the deadline for filing nomination papers was inching closer. A few anxious leaders also reached party offices to register their protest. Both parties released their final list at the eleventh hour.

“I am not satisfied with the distribution of ticket in Haidarpur ward. I have come to tender my resignation,” said Vikas Mittal, a block president (Delhi BJP) of the area. A group of BJP workers from Ajmeri Gate also raised slogans against the party head office at Pandit Pant Marg.

Returning officers accepted nomination forms till 6 pm on Monday.

Sources said differences have also cropped up in the core committee formed by the Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari for the municipal corporation. He said heated argument took place on Sunday night among party leaders during the discussion over selection of candidates.

“Particularly, two Delhi MPs were discontented with the selection process. They got into an argument with others including Tiwari. Their grudge was that their opinions are not being considered into while making the final decision,” source said.

Party insiders say the major reason behind the delay in releasing the list was this disagreement among them. “First, the names were released in separate lists as the party could not reach a consensus on several wards. And second, it was a strategy to prevent possible dissidents from filing their nomination as independent candidate,” a party leader said.

The Congress had released its first list with 140 names on Saturday night and second with 127 names came on Sunday night while the BJP had announced names of 160 party nominees on Sunday evening. Both party released contestants’ name for remaining wards on Monday.

Many among those given tickets by Congress on Sunday night are relatives of former councillors and party leaders.

A few sitting councillors were denied tickets in the second list of the party such as Ishrat Jahan, who is the Urdu Media Coordinator for the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee. She is the sitting councillor from Ghondli ward.

Sources in the BJP said that the party called those who have got the tickets, asking them to keep their nomination papers ready as they might get just a few hours to file their candidature.