Refused BJP ticket from Belapur, Ganesh Naik may contest from Airoli
Naik’s son Sandeep is the sitting MLA from Airoli whom the BJP has given ticket this time. Ganesh Naik and his son Sandeep had quit NCP and joined BJP last month.
Denied ticket from Belapur seat in Navi Mumbai for the Maharashtra polls, former minister Ganesh Naik is likely to contest from neighbouring Airoli.
Naik’s son Sandeep is the sitting MLA from Airoli whom the BJP has given ticket this time. Ganesh Naik and his son Sandeep had quit NCP and joined BJP last month.
Navi Mumbai BJP president Ramchandra Gharat confirmed the development. “A decision has been taken. We will be meeting the Naiks at 4 pm and give the AB form (party authorisation) to Ganesh Naik to contest from Airoli constituency,” he said.
Naik is known a strongman and controls Navi Mumbai Civic body. He was a minister in successive Congress-NCP governments.
Naik was expecting BJP tickets for him and his son from Belapur and Airoli constituency. The party fielded Sandeep but renominated its sitting MLA Manda Mhatre in Belapur. Mhatre had defeated Naik in 2014 assembly elections. A sulking Naik will now shift to Airoli as BJP has refused to field him from any other constituency.
The decision was taken after meeting of Naik and his supporters on Wednesday. “Since yesterday, there has been demand from the 55 corporators who have joined the BJP and the people of the city that Ganesh Naik should contest the election and lead Navi Mumbai,” said Naik’s aide Anant Sutar.