Delhi BJP shortlists 50 names for civic bypolls

For the municipal bypolls in 13 wards, the Delhi BJP has shortlisted 50 candidates from over 200 applications submitted by aspirants. Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay told this newspaper that his party would seek votes on its achievements in the civic bodies and the “misrule of the AAP government.”

Mr Upadhyay said the BJP will announce its candidates after scrutiny of the aspirants shortlisted from over 200 ticket-seekers from the 13 municipal wards. “The party has set procedure and rules for the selection of candidates contesting election on the BJP ticket. Procedure and rules will be followed for selection of candidates for the civic bypolls. The candidates will be announced soon and on time,” added Mr Upadhyay.

Party sources said the BJP is also convincing five former councillors, who were MLAs after winning 2013 Delhi Assembly election, to contest this time. All the five MLAs, however, told the BJP leadership that they were not interested.

In the evening, the Delhi BJP election committee held a discussion on the names seeking party nominations. Delhi BJP in-charge Shyam Jaju said the party is taking these elections seriously and party workers will very soon reach out to every home with the achievements of municipal bodies working under extreme financial constraints. “Simultaneously, the workers will raise before the voters failures of the Kejriwal government and the local MLAs in initiating development activities,” added Mr Jaju.

For strict monitoring of the campaign, Mr Upadhyay has appointed senior leaders as ward in-charges. Abhay Verma, Tilakraj Kataria, Jai Prakash, Rekha Gupta and Mool Chand Chawla are appointed ward in-charges for Khichripur, Jhilmil, Quamuruddin Nagar, Shalimar Bagh North and Wazirpur respectively. Similarly, Sardar R.P. Singh, Jagdish Mukhi, Ashish Sood, Kuljit Singh Chahal, Shikha Rai and Raj Kumar Ballan have been given responsibility of Ballimaran, Vikas Nagar, Nawada, Matiala, Tehkhand and Bhati.

The party has appointed two leaders, Gajender Yadav and Jaivir Rana, as ward in-charges of Munirka (W) and Vishakha Shailani and Rajiv Babbar for Nanakpura.

As per the bypolls schedule, the last date for filing of the nominations will be April 25 and polling will be held on May 15, the counting of the votes will be done on May 17.

The councillors of nine wards had resigned from their position in December 2013 after being elected as legislators in the Delhi Assembly elections.