BJP-RPI rift over six seats ends

Trouble brewing between the BJP and the RPI (A) over candidates for six seats in the BMC elections was resolved on Thursday, with six BJP candidates who had filed their nominations for the seats deciding not to contest the elections.

The six seats were to be kept aside for the Republican Party of India (A) with whom the BJP has an alliance for the BMC polls. However, BJP candidates had also filed their nominations for these seats and were reluctant to take it back and kept themselves out of reach, RPI spokesperson Gautam Sonawane said. After BJP declared its alliance with RPI (A) for the BMC elections, it was announced that 18 of the 227 seats in Mumbai will be given to RPI (A).

But for the six seats, namely 53 (Aarey colony, Goregaon), 13 (Mankhurd Mandala), 139 (Govandi), 142 (Sathe Nagar, Govandi), 152 (Siddhart Colony, Chembur) and 195 (Parel BDD Chawl), BJP candidates had filed nominations despite the decision that RPI candidates would contest from these seats.

RPI (A) had expressed disappointment at the BJP's laid-back attitude towards them. RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawale had two meetings with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, following which the BJP's final orders were communicated to the candidates.