Amit Shah has final say in BJP’S first MCD list

THE DELHI BJP unit on Sunday releaseditsfirstlistof160candidates for the polls to the municipal corporationsofdelhi(mcd),slatedto be held on April 23. BJP national president Amit Shah had the final sayontheselectionofcandidates, sources said.

The BJP, which has decided not to field its sitting councillors in the elections or allow candidates to jump wards, has given tickets to a lot of mandal and district-level workers. Nearly 75 women candidates have made the cut in the first list. Besides, five seats have been keptasideforcandidatesbelonging to Shiromani Akali Dal.

Among those whose names feature in the first list are three who hold posts in the state unit. Twoareshikharaiandkamaljeet Sehrawat, who are vice-presidentsinthestateunit.theywould be contesting from Greater Kailash and Dwarka respectively. Rajesh Lawodia, the secretary of the Delhi BJP unit, will contest from Karol Bagh.

Three district presidents too have got tickets — Pravesh Sharma, who will contest from Ram Nagar, is the president of the Naveenshahdaradistrict;santosh Kumar Pal, district president Shahdara,willcontestfromlaxmi Nagarward;andtilakrajkataria, the polling booth coordinator of Panchpramukh,willcontestfrom Shalimar Bagh (south).

Kailash Sakla, who lost the Mlaelections,willnowfightfrom Punjabi Bagh. Kiran Vaidya, wife of late EX-MLA Sunil Kumar Vaidya,toohasbeengivenaticket.

Kunwar Radio (Zakir Nagar), Famudinsaudi(delhigate),sartaj Ahmed (Chauhan Banger) and Sabramalik(mustafabad)arefour Muslim candidates fielded by the BJP. The five seats that have been given to the Akalis are Pratap Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Kalkarte , GTB Nagar and Rajendra Nagar. However,thecandidateswillcontest elections on the BJP symbol.

Former Mahila Morcha post holderstoohavegottickets.many Mandal presidents, such as Subhash Bairana from CR park and Gagan Sahni from Subhash Nagar, have also got tickets.

Asked about the selection process,aseniorpartyleadersaid, “It has been most thorough, with Shah himself eliminating those whodonotdeserveacandidature. Even MPS were asked to explain whythenamesproposedbythem should get tickets. For the first time, many workers who have beenwiththepartyforalongtime have got tickets.”

Many aspirants, however, protested after the list came out. Monikachoprafromkishanganj alleged that she was not selected even though she has given 10 years of her life for the party. She also said Anuradha Sharma, wife of former councillor Anil Sharma, who allegedly switched from the Congress to BJP recently, was given a ticket from her ward. “We weretoldonlykaryakartaswillget tickets. But I will still work for the party,”shealleged.seniorleaders, including Manoj Tiwari, were not at the office on Sunday.