Ganesh Naik, not his son, is BJP candidate from Airoli

A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied him ticket from Belapur in Navi Mumbai, the party on Wednesday gave former minister Ganesh Naik a ticket from

A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied him ticket from Belapur in Navi Mumbai, the party on Wednesday gave former minister Ganesh Naik a ticket from the neighbouring Airoli constituency. The party had earlier given the ticket to sitting MLA and Naik’s son Sandeep.

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Ganesh Naik and Sandeep quit the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and joined the BJP last month. The BJP renominated its sitting MLA Manda Mhatre in Belapur. Mhatre had defeated Naik in the 2014 Assembly elections.

BJP’s Konkan Vibhag Sanghatan Mantri Satish Dhonde, along with Navi Mumbai BJP president Ramchandra Gharat, handed over the AB form to Naik in a small ceremony held at NMSA club in Vashi.

Naik, known as Navi Mumbai strongman, controls the Navi Mumbai civic body. He was a minister in the successive Congress-NCP governments.

The decision was taken after a meeting with Naik and his supporters on Wednesday. “It is not a sacrifice. It is a spontaneous decision,” said Sandeep.

Former MP and Ganesh Naik’s elder son Sanjeev Naik said, “Sandeep wanted that our father should contest the election, just like me, my family, party workers, corporators and citizens of Navi Mumbai. It is important to give due respect to the sentiments of the people.”

Navi Mumbai BJP president Ramchandra Gharat said, “Sandeep Naik’s sacrifice is not for his father but for people of the city, party workers and corporators… It is natural for Shiv Sena workers to be upset. However, they are committed to the alliance. We will speak to them and they will all work for Ganesh Naik and Manda Mhatre.”