The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) women’s wing is abuzz with activity all of a sudden as it will be deciding the candidates for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. According to a party insider, a delegation from the BJP’s women’s wing met senior party leaders and told them that they want to decide the candidates for the civic body elections and they have got the go ahead too.
Shalaka Salvi, the Mumbai BJP women’s wing president, has claimed that they have been working on this for almost a year now and the BMC elections is the time when women can show their strength.
“We have been identifying the candidates in the city. While in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, women candidates aren’t seen much; the BMC election is actually termed a women’s election. Hence, I have discussed the matter with the president said we should have women candidates,” she said.
The reason behind the women’s wing sudden involvement in party affairs is that 50 per cent seats in the BMC is reserved for women, and secondly the BJP is planning to contest all the seats on their own. “If we want our own mayor, we need to have more candidates who win the elections,” said Ms Salvi.
Meanwhile, party insiders claim that a senior party functionary close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is responsible for giving the city’s women’s wing the go ahead.
“The national women president of the country is in direct consultation with the Mumbai women wing, and the state representative for deciding the candidatures. There are some powers which aren’t in the hands of the city unit,” said the senior leader, who didn’t wish to be named.
The leader claimed that the wing heads are directly calling people whom they wish to contest the BMC elections and are asking them to get ready.
However, Ms Salvi claims that she is discussing everything with city chief Ashish Shelar and has his support.
