BJP receives biodatas of 15,000 probable candidates for MCD polls

Selecting candidates for the upcoming civic body elections is proving to be a difficult task for the BJP's Delhi unit, which has been inundated by recommendations and biodatas of over 15,000 probables, party leaders said on Tuesday. The 250-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) goes to polls on December 4 while counting will take place on December 7.

Teams of observers collected feedback about probables from local BJP leaders during a two-day process.

Each team, comprising two central and Delhi unit members, visited each of the 14 districts on Monday and Tuesday to collect the names of probables with good reputations and high winnability factor, the leaders said.


Present and former MLAs of Delhi's 70 Assembly constituencies, presidents and general secretaries of 270 mandals (roughly as per ward boundaries) and 250 wards recommended the names of three probables each, said a senior leader of the BJP's Delhi unit associated with the shortlisting process.

Party leaders and workers aspiring to contest the elections are also submitting their biodatas in large numbers at the BJP's Delhi unit office and to senior functionaries.

"We have so far received over 15,000 applications through these channels and the number will rise further," said the senior leader.

The nomination process for the polls, which started on Monday, will conclude on November 14.

"We are trying to process as many applications as possible but it is proving to be a tough task due to the short time available to file the nominations," said another senior Delhi unit leader.

The BJP is yet to announce a list of candidates for the MCD elections.

"It has been decided to shortlist three probable candidates from each ward. The shortlisted names will be discussed by the national leadership before the candidates' names are announced around November 12," said the leader.

The BJP, which has governed the civic bodies since 2007, is pitted against a resurgent Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress.

In the civic body polls in 2017, the BJP had won 181 of the 270 wards. No polling could be held on two seats due to death of candidates. The AAP had won 48 wards, while the Congress managed to win 27.

Earlier this year, the Centre unified the city's three municipal corporations under the MCD and reduced the total number of wards to 250 from 272.