AAP announces debut in Bhiwandi, Navi Mumbai civic polls

Thane: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday announced its maiden foray into the upcoming civic elections in Bhiwandi and Navi Mumbai, unveiling plans to field candidates on the maximum number of seats in both municipal corporations.

Speaking to reporters, AAP Bhiwandi unit's president Masih Iqbal and general secretary Hanumant Jadhav said that the party has completed the initial screening of candidates for 30 out of the 90 seats in the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation.

The party was focusing on fielding educated, competent candidates with a clean image and a strong understanding of local issues, while talks are underway with local activists for the remaining seats, they said.


The AAP will contest the civic elections for the first time in Navi Mumbai and has plans to field candidates on 111 seats, said Dinesh Thakur, who heads the Navi Mumbai unit.

In Thane city, the AAP intends to field candidates in 100 out of the 131 seats of the municipal corporation and has already received more than 40 applications from aspirants, Thane unit president Amar Amte told PTI.

The party will focus its campaign on civic issues, including poor road conditions, inadequate healthcare facilities, water scarcity, sanitation problems and alleged corruption in municipal administrations, they said.

According to AAP leaders, the party aims to implement a governance model based on transparency and public welfare, similar to what it implemented in Delhi and Punjab.

Voting for 29 municipal corporations, including Thane, Bhiwandi-Nizampur and Navi Mumbai, will take place on January 15, and results will be declared the next day.