Mumbai, September 22: All-India BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde has managed to get party tickets for his daughter Pankaja and niece Poonam Mahajan. While Pankaja will contest from Parli in Beed district, Poonam will enter the fray from Ghatkopar (west). Both have been evincing a keen interest in politics for the past several months but owe their tickets to Munde’s staunch support.
The BJP’s second list comprising 20 names was released on Monday. The first list of 66 names was declared on Saturday. While the BJP is contesting 119 seats, its ally, the Shiv Sena, is fielding its nominees in 169 of the total 288 seats in the state for the October 13 assembly polls.
Pankaja handled Munde’s election to the Lok Sabha recently and before that she participated in his campaign in the 2004 assembly polls in Renapur constituency. Poonam has been groomed by her late father and BJP strongman Pramod Mahajan. BJP’s corporator from Ghatkopar, Pravin Chheda has revolted against Poonam’s nomination and efforts are being made to dissuade him from contesting as a rebel. Similarly, the party leadership is also trying hard to prevent its MLA from Guhagar, Vinay Natu, from entering the race.
—Agencies