Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls: Congress’ Gurudas Kamat, Sanjay Nirupam meet to settle dispute on seats

Ahead of the civic polls, the differences between Nirupam and Kamat have come to the fore

After All India Congress Committee appointed observer and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to bring the warring groups within the city unit of the party to the discussion table, a meeting between Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam and senior party leader and former Union minister Gurudas Kamat took place on Thursday. The duo discussed the matter of disputed seats for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls.

Senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat, by sending an SMS to his followers had announced that he would distance himself from the election process owing to the ‘negative approach’ of Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam. (HT FILE)

The party is expected to release its second list by Thursday evening.

The party released its first list of 115 candidates on Tuesday evening leaving the wards with dispute over candidature, which will be decided by Hooda. The constituencies represented by former MPs and MLAs of the party had majorly disputed wards on which decision could not be taken due to differences. Hooda, who arrived in Mumbai again on Wednesday evening, asked the warring groups and leaders to hold a meeting and finalise the candidates.

“Hooda is insistent for the release of the final list of the candidates by Thursday evening. Nirupam held deliberation with all the key leaders from the city and discussed the names recommended by the district units. There is a possibility of some names from the first list to be replaced,” said a party functionary.