BJP to wait-and-watch for Bopodi, Parvati

PUNE, Aug 4: A desperate search for formidable candidates has forced the BJP leadership to defer announcement of party nominees for two A...

PUNE, Aug 4: A desperate search for formidable candidates has forced the BJP leadership to defer announcement of party nominees for two Assembly seats in the city 8211; Bopodi and Parvati.

The party today announced that member of the dissolved House Girish Bapat, chairman of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation MSRTC, would be its official candidate for the Kasba Peth Assembly seat. Rooplekha Dhore, another member of the dissolved House, and Jayshree Palande would be the party candidates in Maval and Shirur constituencies of the district.

The State BJP leadership today released the first list of 53 candidates for the Assembly polls. However, the party declared the names of only three candidates in Pune district even though it is fighting seven of the 18 seats in the district. BJP spokesman Prakash Jawdekar said the remaining names would be released on August 10.

According to sources, the party leadership is looking for someone who can fill the slot for the Parvati Assembly seat from where Dilip Kamble contested successfully in the last elections. The sources said the party had almost decided to drop Kamble from the list of candidates since it was not satisfied with his performance.

The party, these sources maintained, would name its candidate only after the Congress made its man known. In BJP circles, the names of Vishwas Gangurde, Anil Hatagale, Vikas Kale and Raju Shendge are doing the rounds for the Parvati seat.

In the case of Bopodi too, the party is hunting 8220;for a stronger8221; candidate. Sources said the party could choose from former vice-president of Khadki Cantonment Board Vikram Rathod, Anil Deokar and Atul Salve. Here again the party was expected to name its man after the Congress came out with its official choice.

The BJP, sources said, was treading very carefully in both Parvati and Bopodi constituencies because of the social structure in the constituencies. While Bopodi is dominated by the Neo-Buddhists, the numerical strength in Parvati lies with the Matang community.