RPI(A) ties up with BJP for BMC polls; to go solo in 9 civic

The Republican Party of India (A) today announced that it will contest the upcoming Mumbai civic elections as an ally of the BJP, while it will go solo in the polls to nine other municipal corporations across Maharashtra.
Fissures between the ruling BJP and its junior alliance partner at the state government came to fore after BJP declined RPI (A)'s offer to forge poll truck for all 10 municipal corporations at a meeting held in Lonavala near here.
"We had asked BJP leaders to form an alliance in all the 10 municipal corporations that are going to polls. But they forged alliance only for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (polls). Hence, we have decided to go alone in rest of the 9 corporation elections," state general secretary of RPI (A) Raja Sarwade said.

Meanwhile, the party has decided to expel those members who have filed their nomination to contest the elections on BJP symbol.
"RPI (A) has decided to contest elections to nine municipal corporations alone and not as an ally of BJP. There will be some wards where BJP and RPI candidates will be facing each other. We have also dissolved the Pune unit of RPI with immediate effect so that no one from Pune (seat) can use our symbol," he said.
Party chairman Ramdas Athawale had earlier objected to BJP's plan to field RPI candidate on its symbol and he had also made it clear that his party nominees will have to fight on RPI (A) party symbol and not on BJP's.

The keenly-contested BMC and nine other municipal corporations will go to polls on February 21, while the counting will be taken up on February 23.