821 candidates in fray for Nashik civic body polls

Nashik: As many as 821 candidates are in fray for the upcoming polls to 122 seats in Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC).

Total 461 candidates withdrew their nominations till yesterday, which was the last day for taking back papers for the elections scheduled to be held on February 21.

The maximum 40 candidates are in fray from ward no.14, while in ward no.15 there are 17 candidates, NMC's election branch sources said today.

The ruling BJP in the state saw rebellion in various wards of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena-ruled NMC.

Gopal Patil, who had filed his papers from ward no. 23, withdrew his nomination yesterday following allegations that he paid money for a BJP ticket.

Former BJP corporators Madhukar Hingmire and Suresh Patil are in fray as rebels after being denied ticket by BJP.

Shiv Sena's rebel leaders like Devanand Birari, former Mayor Vinayak Pande, his son Ruturaj Pande, Deepak Badgujar and Sudhakar Jadhav, who were disappointed at being denied party ticket, had earlier filed their nominations as independents but later withdrew their papers.

Almost all the NMC wards are expected to witness multi-cornered contests.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, MNS president Raj Thackeray and senior leaders of BJP, Congress, NCP, RPI and CPM are expected to address public meetings in Nashik as part of the poll campaign.