‘Sandeep is free to take his own decisions’: Ganesh Naik on his son quitting the party

BJP's Ganesh Naik won't stop son Sandeep from running independently in Belapur after he was denied a ticket. Sandeep seeks "justice" in upcoming elections.

G Mohiuddin Jeddy

‘Sandeep is free to take his own decisions’: Ganesh Naik on his son quitting the party

NAVI MUMBAI: Former minister and the BJP’s Airoli candidate Ganesh Naik has said that he will not stop his son, Sandeep, from contesting from Belapur constituency as an independent or from another party. Naik advised Sandeep, who is the BJP’s city chief, to abide by party discipline, but also added that in a democracy, everyone was free to take their own decisions.

Former MLA Sandeep, upset at being denied a ticket in Belapur where sitting MLA Manda Mhatre has been renominated, has declared that he will contest under any circumstances to “snatch justice”. Sandeep will take a call on Tuesday on whether to contest as an independent or join the NCP (SP) to contest.

Ganesh Naik began his campaign on Monday after taking darshan at a temple at his village, Bonkode in Koparkhairane. Clearing his stand on Sandeep, he said, “I have asked him to work within the party framework, as he is the city party chief. I won’t advise him to contest independently or from another party but if he decides to contest, I will not stop him. In a democracy, everyone has the right to contest.”

Stressing that Sandeep’s decision would not affect the family, he said, “There are families in the country which have members contesting from three different parties, but they sit together after the election to eat.”

On the opposition’s charge of his “dynastic politics”, Naik said that for the last five years, he was the only MLA in the family “unlike earlier times, when I was guardian minister, Sanjeev Naik was MP, Sandeep MLA and Sagar mayor”. “Why is only the Naik family targeted?” he asked. “There are several families who have multiple members in politics.”

With 28 days left for the election, Ganesh Naik said he would focus on his campaign in Airoli, while being evasive when asked if he would campaign for party candidate Mhatre with whom the Naiks have long had differences.

Meanwhile, former BJP corporators and office-bearers have decided to resign at a meet called by Sandeep on Tuesday to announce his decision on whether he will contest as independent or on an NCP (SP) ticket. The meeting at Vashi will be followed by a rally as a show of strength. “Twenty-eight of the 30 former corporators of our party in Belapur have decided that we will be with Sandeep Naik whatever he decides,” said former corporator Ravindra Ithape. “The other Naiks may not be with us but we are going to resign tomorrow, based on the strength of our party workers and the people of the city.”