BJP to interview Assembly election candidates

On Tuesday, as many as 84 aspirants appeared before the senior BJP leaders.

For the Assembly elections in the state, the BJP is going the Congress way of holding interviews of aspiring candidates. There has been a surfeit of candidates staking claim to the party ticket following its success in the Lok Sabha elections. Senior BJP leaders Pandurang Phundkar and Haribhau Bagade met the aspirants for the party ticket in eight assembly seats the BJP is planning to contest in the region, Shivajinagar, Kasba Peth, Parvati and Khadakwasla in Pune city and Pimpri, Maval, Daund and Shirur seats, as per the seat-sharing arrangement with the Shiv Sena.

“A total of 84 aspirants for the eight seats, four each in the city and rural areas, presented their desire to contest on the party ticket. The report would be submitted to the state wing to be considered during the finalisation of candidates,” said Phundkar. As per seat sharing arrangement with Shiv Sena, the BJP has been contesting Shivajinagar, Kasba Peth, Parvati and Khadakwasla in Pune city and Pimpri, Maval, Daund and Shirur seats.

“The recent success of the party in Lok Sabha elections has seen an increased number of aspirants for the assembly elections. Thus, the screening process has been adopted to shortlist candidates,” said Phundkar.

On Tuesday, as many as 84 aspirants appeared before the senior BJP leaders.

In the city, the maximum aspirants are for Shivajinagar with 15 persons coming forward to contest while there were 5 aspirants for Parvati, 6 for Kasba Peth and 4 for Khadakwasla. The Shirur seat has 18 aspirants, Maval has 16 aspirants, Daund has 14 aspirants and Pimpri has six interested candidates.

“There are many from other parties willing to join the BJP. The decision on them would be taken by the party,” he added.
As seen in the Congress, there was a trend of dissent with open opposition to two sitting legislators Girish Bapat of Kasbapeth and Madhuri Misal of Parvati being given ticket.

Aspirants of Kasbapeth Assembly seat urged the two-member party panel to not give the ticket to Bapat.

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“We made it clear Bapat should not be given the party ticket. Any other party candidate among aspirants would do but not the sitting legislator as there is a lot of opposition to him,” said an aspirant.

The Congress unit in the city has, meanwhile, called for applications from aspirants for all the seats by August 11.

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