‘Will get BJP mayor in Mumbai civic body’

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashish Shelar on Sunday said his party was ready to fight against the Shiv Sena in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashish Shelar on Sunday said his party was ready to fight against the Shiv Sena in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections to be held in 2022, while state chief Chandrakant Patil asserted a BJP mayor would be installed in the civic body.

HT Image

Senior leaders of the party met at their Dadar office, Vasant Smruti, on Sunday to discuss the road map for the elections. Shelar said, “In the meeting, party leaders discussed the organizational election programme. The appointments of heads of 227 municipal wards, 36 Vidhan Sabha constituencies and six Lok Sabha constituencies were discussed.”

Patil said, “Selection of party functionaries is a routine process. This time it was delayed because of the political developments in the state. In Mumbai, we are working on organisational change, so we can win the election in 2022 single-handedly. We will have a BJP mayor in Mumbai.’’

The BJP and Sena contested the Mumbai civic polls in 2017 bitterly as opponents, despite sharing power in the state and Centre. The BJP won 82 seats in the Mumbai civic corporation, two less than the Shiv Sena. It decided not to contest the mayoral polls to keep its alliance with the Sena, but many in the party now regret that decision.

Patil said BJP functionaries were working on formation 10,000 booth committees with booth chairmen, till December 30.