BJP fields 116 candidates, united MVA partners challenge each other in 32 seats of Nashik civic body

Nashik: Contesting alone, BJP has fielded 116 candidates directly and is sponsoring two independents for the Jan 15 Nashik Municipal Corporation elections. A total of 735 candidates, including 209 independents and 120 others, are in the fray along with candidates from important political parties.The elections are to be held for 122 seats divided into 31 wards of the city.While BJP is contesting alone, other Mahayuti partners — NCP and Shiv Sena — have decided to put up a united front in the elections. However, it seems the allied parties did not stick to their promises in several seats.Of the 122 seats, BJP is contesting the highest number (116 seats), followed by Shiv Sena (101), SS (UBT) (73), NCP (40), MNS (34), NCP (SP) (27), and Cong (16). The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi has fielded 39 seats, and the Aam Admi Party has fielded 28 seats, according to the Form 7 shared by the election branch of the Nashik Municipal Corporation.BJP and Shiv Sena will be contesting against each other in 97 seats. Shiv Sena and NCP, who are contesting together, will challenge each other in 21 seats.MVA constituents will also contest against each other in 32 seats. This includes six seats where the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) also contest each other.BJP did not field any candidate in Wards 14A, 14B, 14C, and 14D in the old city areas, which are densely populated and form the core part of the Nashik Central assembly constituency represented by BJP's Devyani Pharande.The last day of withdrawal witnessed 657 candidates leaving the field, even as 735 candidates, including 208 independent candidates, are set to contest the elections. The symbols were distributed to the independent candidates on Saturday. Along with the usual symbols like cup and saucer, gas cylinder, broom, cupboard, computer, whistle, etc, some candidates also opted for symbols such as sunflower, injection, flute, helicopter, book, apple, balloon, violin, etc.A multi-cornered contest is on the anvil in some places where all the major parties have fielded their candidates.In Ward 25A, the much-discussed BJP candidate Sudhakar Badgujar faces a challenge from Atul Landge of Shiv Sena (UBT), Atul Sanap of Shiv Sena, and one independent candidate.In the midst of the election hustle and bustle, Dinkar Patil, who switched from MNS to BJP, was in a direct triangular contest in Ward 9B against Kaveri Kandekar of Sena (UBT) and Gulab Mali of Shiv Sena.In Ward 13D, a three-way contest will take place between Dinkar Patil's son Amol (BJP), his cousin Prem Patil (Sena), and Sahebrao Jadhav of Sena (UBT).In Ward 13D, a multi-cornered contest was held between Shahu Khaire (who joined BJP), Ganesh More (Shiv Sena), Jayesh Barve (of Sena-UBT), and six independent candidates.