Sena corporators join BJP; allege nepotism

Two Shiv Sena corporators today joined BJP, ahead of the February 21 BMC poll.
The duo, Nana Ambole and B Panchal joined BJP in presence of Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar, at the city office of the party in Dadar.
Ambole, two-term corporator from Lalbaug-Parel area, said he decided to quit the Sena as the local legislator of that party threatened to finish his political career.
"Now, I will show him my popularity among Lalbaug-Parel voters. I had merely sought BMC poll ticket for my wife," he said.
Panchal, Sena corporator from Shivajinagar-Mankhurd suburbs, said he was working for the saffron party with dedication but was disappointed with that party's MP in that area "preferred to favour his own family members, instead of sincere party workers when it came to giving poll tickets."

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The switch over by Sena leaders came days after party President Uddhav Thackeray announced he will not tie-up with BJP or any other political outfit for polls to the 227-member municipal corporation.
Meanwhile, resentment is reportedly brewing in both Shiv Sena and BJP ranks over ticket distribution for the polls, which will decide who rules the country's richest civic body which has annual budget of over Rs 37,000 crore.
Resentment in the Sena came to fore when party cadres locked a local Shakha (branch) in Wadala after it came to light ticket has been given to Yuva Sena treasurer Ameya Ghole, an aide of the youth wing's President Aaditya Thackeray.

In BJP, relatives of several prominent BJP leaders have got party tickets. The BJP could not keep its first list of 61 candidates a secret as it got leaked and went viral on social media.
With February 3 being the last date for filing of nominations, both the Sena and BJP understood to have asked their official candidates to submit their papers directly at the respective BMC ward offices.