Congress shuts door on NCP for BMC polls, ties up with RPI faction

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, January 17

The Congress has effectively shut the door on the Nationalist Congress Party for next month’s Mumbai municipal elections, tying up instead with the Republican Party of India faction led by Prof Jogendra Kapade.

Rejecting a plea by NCP leaders for a tie-up, Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam and Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashok Chavan said Sharad Pawar’s outfit did not enjoy much clout in Mumbai and the party could never perform in seats allotted to it in the past elections. “The party high command has agreed to our demand to contest the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) elections alone,” Nirupam told reporters here today.

Congress leaders privately admit that the Pawars were never trustworthy allies and often worked against the candidates of the Congress even after aligning with it. On the other hand, they allege, Pawar used his immense clout with Congress leaders to ensure that the NCP had a free run in the seats allotted to it.

Kicking off the campaign solo, the Congress party has come up with some “innovative ideas” like organising street plays to “expose the corruption of the BJP and the Shiv Sena combine”. Last November’s demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes has also compelled the Congress to come up with street-corner campaigns as opposed to large rallies.

Meanwhile, the NCP has begun declaring candidates for the 227 seats in the BMC. The party announced that Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, will also begin campaigning for the party’s candidates in the city.