MCD polls: BJP to announce candidates after 'Holashtak' period

The Delhi BJP is waiting for the end of Hindu calender's "inauspicious" Holashtak period to announce its list of candidates for the MCD elections next month.
Holashtak is an eight-day "inauspicious" period as per the Hindu calender which ends before the Holi. This year, the period begins today (March 5) and will end on March 12.
Many traditional Hindus avoid undertaking any new work during this period.
"We follow Hindu Sanskriti and do not start any new thing during Holashtak and so the list of candidates for MCD elections will be announced after Holi, possibly in the third week of this month," said a senior party functionary.

The delay in the announcement of names of candidates has led to apprehensions among the workers as main Opposition parties AAP and Congress have started the process already.
The Aam Admi Party has so far announced the names of 198 candidates for the 272-member MCD divided into three municipal corporations.

Congress is also working overtime on party workers' feedback to announce its candidates. Party leaders said they will declare the list as soon as notification for the poll is issued.
The election committee of the Delhi BJP is likely to be formed by March 7-8. The process of selecting candidates will begin after Holi, said city unit general secretary Rajesh Bhatia.

"After Holi, the party observers will visit districts and interact with BJP workers to decide on the names of the candidates," Bhatia said.
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, who is among the party's star campaigner for UP polls, will be free after March 6 when the campaign for the state polls ends.
He can then focus his attention on the MCD polls, a party leader said.