NCP Splits Deepen as Rival Factions Unveil BMC Candidate Lists

State President and MP Sunil Tatkare told reporters that the party would release yet another list on Tuesday morning, as Tuesday is the last day for filing nominations.

"We reviewed the NCP's poll preparations in Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra in the presence of party national working president Praful Patel and other prominent leaders. The party has stitched an alliance with Shiv Sena in Nashik, while in Panvel, as the Mahayuti alliance. Discussions are underway in other municipal corporations. The party will decide on an alliance in these bodies on late Monday night."

Tatkare said that the party will also soon decide on the induction of leaders from various parties.

Earlier, NCP on Sunday released its first list of 37 candidates for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Interestingly, former minister and party in charge of BMC elections, Nawab Malik's three family members have got the nominations. They include Malik's brother Abdul Rashid (Kaptan) Malik, his sister Saeeda Khan and Abdul Rashid (Kaptan) Malik's daughter-in-law Bushara Malik. The list showcases a mix of seasoned leaders and new faces.

Notable inclusions include Dhananjay (Dada) Pisal for Ward 111, who today quit the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and joined the NCP. The candidates are from different castes and communities, including Maratha, OBC, Muslim, Christian, Scheduled Castes and women, which is in line with the party's ideology based on the progressive thoughts Shiv, Phule, Shahu and Ambedkar.

NCP is contesting BMC polls independently as the BJP has declined to take NCP into the MahaYuti alliance.

Meanwhile, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP released a list of seven candidates for the BMC elections hours after the party's Mumbai chief, Rakhi Jadhav, quit the party and joined the BJP. The party has decided to contest the election in alliance with Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Ahead of local body polls in Mumbai, the NCP (SP) is witnessing a mass exodus with the majority of its leaders opting to join Deputy CM Ajit Pawar-led NCP, with no effort from the NCP (SP) to stop them.

NCP SP's Pune chief and former mayor Prashant Jagtap last week joined Congress, expressing strong opposition to the party's alliance with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in Pune Municipal Corporation.

Before Jadhav, several party leaders from Mumbai, including former corporator Dhananjay Pisal, leader Manish Dubey, former corporator Manisha Rahate and general secretary Ashok Panchal, have already quit to join Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

Another party leader, Nitin Deshmukh, who was seeking a ticket for his wife too, met the NCP leaders. But he later decided to withdraw his nomination.

"Yes, it is true that people are quitting our party. The leadership has taken certain decisions, and those who do not want to follow them are quitting," said NCP-SP spokesperson Clyde Crasto.

- IANS