BJP expels prominent members for anti-party activities in Nashik

Nashik: The city unit of BJP has expelled a list of prominent members, barring them from the party for six years, after it said they were involved in anti-party activities, including opposing tree felling in Tapovan and contesting against party nominees.The list of those expelled, which includes former mayor, former corporators, former House leaders, and current and former office-bearers, far exceeds the total number of corporators (66), who were elected as members to the corporation in 2017. It includes those opposing tree felling in Tapovan, those contesting against party nominees and others.BJP city unit president Sunil Kedar was engaged in signing the letters of expulsion for each of the members. Some of these members joined the party recently, while others have been associated with the party for a long time.Among the prominent names is former mayor Ashok Murtadak, who had joined BJP recently. He had failed to get a ticket and is now contesting the election as an independent, being sponsored by Shiv Sena.The list also features the name of Amit Ghuge, who has been a long-time functionary and office-bearer of the party. He was denied a party ticket, and he chose to call it a day and decided to contest the election as an independent too.The list also names former corporators Kamlesh Bodke, Satish (Bapu) Sonawane, Shashikant Jadhav, Mukesh Shahane, Vanda Manchanda, former mayor Ashok Murtadak, Ruchi Kumbharkar, and others.BJP also expelled Rohan Deshpande, a former MNS functionary who joined BJP and was included in the think-tank of the party in the Nashik Road area. He is now spearheading the Save Tapovan campaign against NMC's plan of felling 1,700 trees for the creation of Sadhugram and the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) Hub."We were trying to avoid the action. We had requested all of them to deviate from the stand they had taken, as that would have affected the party in the corporation elections. Since they refused to comply, we have now expelled them," said Kedar."In the case of Rohan Deshpande, the party clearly shared the agenda on trees and the plantation drive that has already been started by the corporation in lieu of the proposed tree felling for Simhastha Kumbh Mela. Since he is not ready to accept the party stand, he has no place in the party," said Kedar.Mukesh Shahane, Satish Sonawane, Shashikant Jadhav, and office-bearer Amit Ghuge, as well as former mayor Ashok Murtadak, are contesting either as independents where the party has fielded its official nominee or have joined the opposition party. "We, therefore, expelled them," Kedar added.