BJP KMC poll candidates include 58 women, 18 from minorities

The BJP today announced a list of 142 candidates, including 58 women and 18 from religious minorities, for the election to the 144-seat Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
"We are fielding 58 women candidates and there will be 17 Muslim and one Christian candidate in the fray for the party," BJP state president Rahul Sinha told a press conference here.
The list contained names of candidates who were once members of the TMC and the CPI-M.
The party fielded Bablu Karim, a former TMC leader from Ward 75, Janaki Singh, who fought the last state Assembly elections for the CPI(M), from Ward 21 and former TMC councillor Mala Mahalanobish from Ward 93, Sinha said.

He said that former TMC state-level secretary Manas Kar would fight from Ward 8 and Sashi Agnihotri, who was in the Forward Bloc fold, from Ward 85.
Protests were organised outside the BJP state office off Central Avenue by supporters of some hopefuls who were allegedly denied tickets.

Placards carried by the protesters alleged giving nominations to outsiders for the prestigious KMC election.
Asked about the protests, Sinha said, "We will certainly talk to our functionaries if there is any issue."
He said that the party had received 2,231 applications for the 144 seats.
"It was a very difficult job to shortlist the candidates from so many applications," he claimed. The party, however, did not declare any mayoral candidate.