NCP rebel enters the fray for legislative council polls

The legislative council elections from the BMC constituency have become even more interesting because of rebellion by a Nationalist Congress Party leader Prasad Lad, who will contest as an Independent candidate against the Congress (which is NCP's ally in this fight), the BJP and the Shiv Sena.

Prasad Lad says that he will not withdraw his nomination at any cost. File pic

Lad is the fourth prominent candidate in the fray for the two seats at stake. The Sena has fielded state Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam, the Congress has Bhai Jagtap and the BJP has its group leader in the BMC Manoj Kotak fighting it out.

The 227 BMC corporators will cast their votes in a preferential method. The Sena has a majority to win one seat, while the three others will be vying for the remaining one seat.

Lad quit the NCP before filing his nomination, a trusted trend that the NCP leaders have been following in the past 15 years. Once such rebel candidates get elected, the NCP takes them back into the party fold. Such rebellions have caused a rift between the Congress and NCP in the past. Sources said Lad's rebellion had the blessings of senior NCP leaders.

"I have a definite strategy in mind. Of course I'm contesting for winning. I'm in touch with many parties and people," Lad told mid-day after filing his papers on Wednesday, the last day for filing nominations. He said he would not withdraw his nomination at any cost.

Lad said that BMC corporators, cutting across party lines, would vote for him because of his cordial nature, high qualifications and his successful tenure as the chairman of MHADA.