2,275 candidates in fray for BMC polls: Electoral office

A total of 2,275 candidates, which include 1,190 males, 1,084 females and one transgender, are in fray for the 227 seats of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), election for which will be held on February 21.
According to the final list, released by the electoral department of the BMC today, 13 political parties will slug it out to make it to the power corridors of the cash-rich civic body after February 23 (the counting day).
These parties have altogether fielded 2,024 candidates, whereas 717 candidates are fighting as Independents. The only third gender to have filed the nomination is from the ward number 166 (Kurla Bus Depot to Sakinaka).

Shiv Sena is the only party which has fielded candidates on all the 227 seats across the metropolis, while Congress will fight it out on 221, BJP on 211, MNS on 201, NCP on 171, BSP on 109, Samajwadi Party on 76 followed by first-timers Hyderabad-based AIMIM on 56 seats.
After snapping alliance with Shiv Sena, this time BJP has aligned with RPI(A), Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP) and Shiv Sangram parties.
In the 2012 BMC elections, the Sena had contested from 135 wards and BJP on 63 seats, while 29 seats were contested by RPI and others in the alliance. The Sena had won 75 seats and BJP had emerged victorious on 31 places then.

So far as other parties are concerned, CPI (M) has fielded 10 candidates, CPM 11, AIADMK 3, Janta Dal (S) 10 candidates.

Filing of nominations for the 227 electoral wards began from January 27 and continued till February 3. The last day to withdraw nomination was February 7.
During the 2012 civic election, a total of 2,233 candidates had contested the BMC election.
Commenting on the preparedness of the civic poll, a senior BMC official, attached to the electoral department, said, "We are ready to hold the election and are in the last stage of our preparatory work which includes imparting poll training to staff besides creating awareness among voters to come out and exercise their franchise on the day.