Nagpur BJP Leader Now Congress Pick For Legislative Council Polls

A day after he severed his 34-year-old association with BJP, Ravindra Bhoyar, a former RSS volunteer and sitting corporator from Nagpur, filed his nomination papers today as the Congress nominee from the local constituency for the upcoming polls to Maharashtra Legislative Council.

Mr Bhoyar will face off against BJP nominee and former minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. 

Mr Bhoyar's candidature for the upcoming polls was announced by Congress late last night.

The four-time corporator had been associated with BJP for the last 34 years. He had served as Deputy Mayor of Nagpur in 1997. His father Prabhakarrao Bhoyar had served as an RSS pracharak from 1949 to 1956 and was jailed during the Emergency. The Bhoyar senior had held various positions in the RSS, headquartered in Nagpur.

Ravindra Bhoyar had said senior leaders like him had been sidelined in BJP for the last few years. He said he was isolated by BJP leadership, which forced him to quit.

Mr Bhoyar had said his family has been associated with the Sangh for more than 70 years. "But I am quitting BJP with a heavy heart for my self-respect. I will remain with Congress till the end," he said.

The biennial election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council will be held on December 10 from five local authorities' constituencies for six seats due to the retirement of sitting members.

The counting of votes will be taken up on December 14.

The six seats are falling vacant from Mumbai (two seats), and one seat each from Kolhapur, Dhule-cum-Nandurbar, Akola-cum-Buldhana-cum Washim, and Nagpur.