02 November,2016 08:38 AM IST | | Dharmendra Jore
The party's Mumbai office received an overwhelming number of applicants in the first three days of starting its form distribution; several hundred more are expected to apply
Sanjay Nirupam
Sanjay Nirupam
If the enthusiasm of Congress workers about contesting the BMC polls seemed dull in the backdrop of the party's debacle in recent times, then the party's city unit is proving to be an exception. Some 639 local Congress workers have taken application forms for seeking official candidature in various wards, in the first three days of the office starting distribution of the document.
The Congress office will continue to give away application forms till November 12. It started distributing forms from October 27. 223 workers took forms on the first day, 200 turned up the next day, while 216 availed of the application forms on October 29. The Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) office was closed for Diwali since October 30.
More expected
"We expect several hundred people to visit MRCC when the office is operational again on November 2," said MRCC president Sanjay Nirupam. MRCC is inviting applications for the 227 civic wards that will go to polls in late January or early February next year. The poll schedule is expected to be announced next month.
An equally enthusiastic Nirupam said he had not expected such a response. He said Congress was the first among all major parties to start a selection process for the BMC polls. He welcomed the initiative taken by the party's rank and file.
Nirupam termed the development as a result of a growing anti-BJP and Shiv Sena sentiment in the people. "Two years have passed since the BJP came to power in the state and Centre. The bubble has burst now. People say that BJP has not been able to meet the people's demands and fulfil their election promises," he said.
223
No. of workers who took forms on the first day
216
No. of workers who took forms on the second day
200
Number of workers who took forms on the third day
