Civic polls: SP begins preparations, conducts interviews of probables

The party has announced that it will not forge an alliance with any party

Mumbai, Dec 13: The Samajwadi Party has started preparatory work for the forthcoming Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) polls by conducting interviews of probables and is planning to release the list of its candidates soon after the code of conduct comes into force.

Samajwadi Party Maharashtra unit chief Abu Asim Azmi interviewed over 100 candidates so far for 35 seats. The party has already announced that it will not forge an alliance with any party to fight the civic body polls due early next year.

"The party has planned to contest 125 seats of the total 227 seats but this would further depend on availability of qualified candidates," Azmi told PTI.

He said, "We are facing certain hurdles in finding qualified candidates. North Indians and Muslims are our base but most of the North Indians do not enjoy OBC status, while Muslim women are not keen on fighting the election and those who are interested are having more than two children as a result they cannot contest the election." At present, SP has nine corporators in MCGM.

"We are looking for such candidates who have fair record of social work and who want to enter politics to serve common man and not merely to fill their own pockets. I rejected those aspirants who replied they are willing to spend money lavishly in the poll campaign," informed Azmi. He said demonetisation would definitely have an impact on the outcome of the civic body polls.

"Big parties like BJP and Congress will benefit with decision, while small parties like us would be hit hard as we won't be getting donations up to or above Rs one crore which paves way to get income tax rebate to the donors," said Azmi adding, big parties would be benefitted through white money.

PTI