Lok Sabha polls: BJP fields 26/11 prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam from Mumbai North Central

NEW DELHI: The BJP has fielded 26/11 prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam as its candidate from the Mumbai North Central in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, dropping sitting MP from the constituency Poonam Mahajan.

Talaking to reporters, Nikam said: "For years, you saw me fighting against the accused in court.

But today, the BJP has given me the responsibility for which I am thankful to PM Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekar Bawankule, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar. I know that politics is not for me but through you, I would like to tell everyone that the country's Constitution, laws and security would be my priorities ... The constituency from where I have been told to contest is a very important constituency of Mumbai. This has been represented by late Manohar Joshi, Ramdas Athawale and Poonam Mahajan. These people have always raised questions in Parliament in the national interest."

Nikam is a well-known name in the legal circle and was a government counsel in the the Mumbai terror attack case.

Mahajan, the daughter of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, was elected from the constituency in 2014 and 2019. She is also a former president of the BJP's youth wing.

Party leaders have claimed that the decision to drop her was based on organisational feedback.

Though indications had been there for some time that Mahajan would be dropped, it was the party's search for her replacement that took time, sources said.

The Congress has fielded its city unit chief and Dharavi MLA Varsha Gaikwad from Mumbai North Central.

Voting in Mumbai is scheduled to be held on May 20 in the fifth phase of the polls.
(This is a developing story)