Maharashtra assembly elections: Bharat Gangotri to contest from NCP on Ulhasnagar seat

ULHASNAGAR: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Bharat Gangotri will be the NCP candidate from Ulhasnagar seat after sitting MLA Jyoti Kalani refused to contest on party ticket. Speculations are rife that Jyoti's daughter-in- law Pancham Kalani, who is mayor from Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) may contest on BJP ticket.

Political sources said that since BJP has offered ticket to a Kalani family member from the seat, Jyoti Kalani refused to take ticket from NCP which is why the seat was given to Gangotri.

Talking to TOI, Gangotri confirmed declaration of his ticket from party saying, "I am happy that NCP chief Sharad Pawar who is giving tickets to youth has given me ticket to contest poll from the seat."

Gangotri is two-time corporator from NCP, while his mother Pushpa was once corporator from the party. He is also the executive president of NCP from Ulhasnagar city.

Political sources said that Ulhasnagar's powerful Kalani family was close to Pawar for a long time, but in 2013 when four-time MLA Pappu Kalani was sentenced life term in a murder case their ties started weakening and in 2017 Kalani family during UMC election came into contact with BJP.

In UMC election, Pappu's son Omie Kalani made alliance with BJP and for the first time BJP's mayor Meena Ailani got elected in UMC.

Kalani family refused to speak on the development but their close party workers, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the rejection of ticket saying Pancham Kalani may contest on BJP ticket.

However, section of BJP's party leaders from city including Kalani's rival and ex-MLA Kumar Ailani who is also trying to get ticket from party for a long time are opposing Kalani's entry into BJP.