Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): BJP's marathon meeting to select mayoral candidates for the local body polls concluded ‘without finalizing any name’ late on Sunday evening. The party core committee continued one after another brainstorming sessions to finalise its candidates, however, even after the meeting at CM House concluded later in evening, no announcement of the names was made till the report went to press.
The nomination of candidates for local body polls in Madhya Pradesh had begun on Saturday and so it was expected that the saffron party would come out with its mayoral candidate list. Taking the lead, Congress had announced its mayoral candidates for 15 of the 16 municipal corporations on Thursday night.
The core committee's meeting began in the morning at the party's headquarters here and later the committee met at CM House in the evening.
While the party's stalwarts continued their meetings -- one after another session -- a large number of BJP workers, who are aspirants for mayoral posts, assembled and are waiting for their turn to meet the committee members. BJP president V. D. Sharma had claimed that names of mayoral candidates will be announced after the core committee meeting gets over, however, no accouchement to this effect was made till filing of this report.
Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia interacting with ticket aspirants at his residence in Bhopal on Sunday. | FP
Experts are of the view that the BJP is just not the ruling party in the state but in all Municipal Corporations in the state therefore, the party's stalwarts don't want to leave any loophole in candidates selection and also to avoid anti-incumbency.
Another reason behind delay in selection of candidates is that, the senior leaders are pushing for their favourable candidates for mayoral posts.
Sources said that committee has almost finalized mayoral candidates for 10-11 municipal corporations, but is stuck in five-six seats, which includes -- Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior.
BJP leader and the Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had reached the party office but left after half-an-hour. Later, supporters (ticket aspirants) called on Scindia at his residence. Scindia also called on Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
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