Maha BJP may deny tickets to 20% MLAs

Mumbai: The BJP is likely to drop 15-20% of its 122 MLAs in Maharashtra while distributing tickets for the upcoming state polls, even as the party along with its partner Shiv Sena handed out a drubbing to the Congress-NCP combine in the recent Lok Sabha election and surveys show that the ruling alliance will win 230 seats in the 288-member assembly. “Work has already started on identifying candidates. There are plenty of fresh faces and aspirants who would be given an opportunity,” a BJP leader aware of the exercise told ET on condition of anonymity.

BJP members said that several “non-performers” and controversial MLAs, including ministers and former ministers, who have embarrassed the party and the government are likely to be shown the door. Some of those who are on this list were recently shunted out in the ministry reshuffle done by CM Devendra Fadnavis.

Afew among the six ministers who were dropped in the reshuffle will not be given tickets, said the leader cited earlier.


In doing so, the party seems to be following the same strategy that it had adopted for the Lok Sabha polls as it had denied tickets to seven sitting MPs out of the total 23 MPs that it had. The move came after the RSS sanghatan mantris or organisation ministers were asked in August last year to review the performance of all the BJP Lok Sabha members in the country and submit a report on their chances of winning.

While the rival Nationalist Congress Party has begun preparations for the assembly polls, the Congress has yet to get its act together.