Miffed RPI suspends those candidates who were contesting election on BJP’s lotus symbol in Pune and Sholapur.
Even though the Republican Party of India has a tie up with BJP for contesting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Cor-poration (BMC) election but the party will go solo in nine other municipal corporations across Maharashtra. The Ramdas Atha-wale led party is miffed with the BJP for not giving its nod for an alliance for contesting in other municipal corporation and instead asking the former’s candidates to fight election on BJP’s symbol. Already the party has suspended a candidate who was keen to contest election on the saffron party’s symbol. RPI has dissolved the working executive committee of Pune.
RPI was keen to have an alliance with BJP for contesting election in 10 municipal corporations and 25 district councils in the state. At a working committee meeting held at Lonavala a decision was taken to suspend those candidates who will be contesting election on BJP’s lotus symbol. Those candidates who are contesting election on BJP’s symbol in Pune and Sholapur are suspended.
On the other hand, BJP and RPI have sealed an alliance for contesting the Mumbai civic body polls. As per the agreement RPI has been allotted 25 seats and if they fares better in the election the party will be assigned the post of deputy mayor by BJP. RPI is cosying up with Shiv Sena in Ulhasnagar. BJP candidates have filed nominations from those constituencies vacated by RPI candidates. In some places, BJP has allotted its symbol to RPI leaders. As a result of this RPI leaders are upset and hence they are planning to contest election in other constituencies single-handedly.
“We had asked BJP leaders to form an alliance in all the 10 municipal corporations that are going to polls. But they forged alliance only for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (polls). Hence, we have decided to go alone in rest of the 9 corporation elections,” state general secretary of RPI (A) Raja Sarwade said.
“RPI (A) has decided to contest elections to nine municipal corporations alone and not as an ally of BJP. There will be some wards where BJP and RPI candidates will be facing each other. We have also dissolved the Pune unit of RPI with immediate effect so that no one from Pune (seat) can use our symbol,” he added.
Party chairman Ramdas Athawale had earlier objected to BJP’s plan to field RPI candidate on its symbol and he had also made it clear that his party nominees will have to fight on RPI (A) party symbol and not on BJP’s.
The keenly-contested BMC and nine other municipal corporations will go to polls on February 21, while the counting will take place on February 23.
