BJP fields six Muslim candidates for Delhi MCD elections

Representational Picture (AFP)

New Delhi: Several party office bearers and their relatives on Monday got the tickets from the BJP to contest the MCD polls, the candidates for which were announced by the party a few hours before the closure of filing of nominations. The prominent faces who have been given ticket include Poonam Parasar Jha, Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha president and wife of former MLA Anil Jha. She will contest from Mubarakpur Dabas ward in North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC). The BJP has fielded six Muslim candidates for the April 23 polls to the three civic body in the national capital. Among them was Rubina, whose name figured in the final list which came out. She will contest from Quraish Nagar in NDMC and Jamal Haidar from Abul Fazal Enclave in South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). Rubina is daughter of sitting councilor Hoor Bano, said a BJP leader. ALSO READ: Student goes LIVE on Facebook before committing suicide at Taj Lands End in Mumbai A number of party workers who could not succeed in getting a ticket on Monday assembled at the Delhi BJP office and chanted slogans outside the gate as a mark of protest. "I toiled hard for the victory of the Member of Parliament from my constituency. But, now he seems to have forgotten me," said a woman party worker who had sought ticket from a ward under South Delhi Municipal Corporation. The lists of 100 candidates released included names of 34 candidates in NDMC, 40 in SDMC, and 26 in East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC). The party had yesterday announced its first list of 160 candidates. There are a total of 272 wards in the three municipal corporations in the city, 104 each in South and North Delhi municipal corporations and 64 in the East Delhi municipal corporation. Party sources said that the leadership was under "tremendous pressure" from several quarters including sitting MPs, former legislators and ex-councilors who had been "lobbying hard" with national leaders and the RSS for tickets. The party had earlier decided not to field outgoing councilors this time to ward off anti-incumbency. The BJP has given five tickets to its ally Akali Dal which will contest in Pratap Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Kalkaji, GTB Nagar and Rajendra Nagar on the BJPs Lotus symbol. Earlier, the Paharganj seat in NDMC was given to Lok Jan Shakti Party but later the party announced its own candidate, Babita Bharija, from there. The final list also included names of some candidates who are known to be close to top leaders in the party, the party sources said. Raj Kumar Ballan, incharge of Mayur Vihar district who is said to be close to Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, has been given ticket from Brahmpuri in EDMC, while Jai Prakash JP, close to Union minister Vijay Goel, has got ticket from Sadar Bazar in NDMC. Former army officer Colonel Oberoi will contest from Rajouri Garden ward. Sources said that he is a resident of Dwarka. The party has also fielded Delhi BJP vice presidents Shikha Rai and Kamljeet Sehrawat in MCD polls. Rai and Sehrawat had previously contested assembly elections on the party ticket. Purvanchal Morcha president Vipin Bihari has also got the ticket. Sources said that Bina Virmani, candidate from Ramesh Nagar in North Delhi, is wife of an OSD of a Union minister. Filing of nominations for the April 23 election ended at 6PM on Monday. Candidates got the tokens were seen completing formalities for filing of nominations even after the given time.