BJP announces list for Feb 28 polls

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Sunday announced its candidates for the February 28 municipal bypolls, a day after the AAP and the Congress announced their candidates.

The BJP has given preference to leaders from the local units while choosing its candidates.

From ward Rohini C, the BJP has fielded Rakesh Goyal, the mandal (ward level) president, against AAP’S Ram Chander, who is a former MLA from Bawana, and Congress’ Mewati Barwala, a former councillor.

The ward comes under the Bawana assembly constituency which is considered an AAP stronghold. Ram Chander had won the Bawana assembly constituency in the 2017 bypoll. In 2020 assembly polls, the AAP fielded the sitting councillor BSP’S Jai Bhagwan, whose victory necessitated the bypoll.

From ward number 62N (Shalimar Bagh North) in north Delhi, BJP has fielded former councillor late Renu Jaju’s daughter-in-law, Surabhi Jaju. The bypoll on this seat was necessitated after Jaju’s death two years ago.

Though it is considered a BJP stronghold, from where Renu Jaju contested and won, it is going to be a tough fight as Surabhi Jaju is pitted against AAP’S Sunita Mishra, who is party’s mohalla coordinator and also secretary of AAP’S women’s wing in the Shalimar Bagh assembly constituency. The Congress has fielded Mamta, who is contesting for the first time.

In east Delhi’s Chauhan Bangar ward, the BJP has given the ticket to Mohd. Nazir Ansari, who is a former president of BJP’S minority wing in northeast district. He is pitted against Congress’ Chaudhary Zubair Ahmad, the son of former MLA senior party leader Mateen Ahmed and AAP’S Mohammad Ishaq Khan, a former MLA from Seelampur.

In ward 2-E (Trilokpuri), the contest will be between BJP’S Om Prakash Gugarwal, former president of the party’s local unit, and AAP’S Vijay Kumar, a former secretary of All India

Safai Mazdoor Union. The Congress has fielded Bal Kishan, who was party’s candidate in 2017 municipal polls from the same ward.

For ward number 08-E (Kalyanpuri), the BJP has chosen Siya Ram Kanojia, a local party worker, against AAP’S Dhirendra (Bunty Gautam), a senior party leader from Kondli unit. The Congress has fielded Dharampal Maurya, who has contested municipal polls in 2012 and 2017.

Bypolls to 5 municipal wards to be held on Feb 28