Senior BJP leader in Mumbai to run as independent candidate against the party

Mumbai: A senior BJP leader in Mumbai has announced that he will run against party’s chosen candidate for the Borivali constituency in north-western of Mumbai, NDTV reported.

Gopal Shetty was upset after he learnt from media that the BJP has fielded Mumbai unit general secretary Sanjay Upadhyay for the constituency replacing sitting legislator Sunil Rane.

An avid contender for the seat himself, Gopal Shetty snapped back at the party announcing his decision to run as an independent candidate.

Justifying his decision, Shetty told the outlet that it was necessary to counter what he said the tradition of fielding candidates from outside, referring to Sanjay Upadhyay being not a resident of Borivali.

Shetty announced that he would fight as an independent adding ‘No matter what happens, I will not back down’.

Saying that he was not keen on contesting the polls, Gopal Shetty claimed that his supporters told him about the ‘gravity of the situation’.

Shetty claimed that he knew about the party’s decision to field Sanjay Upadhyay in Borivali from ‘a TV flash’.

Addressing his supporters earlier he said he still supported the BJP’s ideologies and policies, alongside claiming that ‘The BJP workers feel I should contest from here. Even other parties feel I should contest’.

He claimed he was urged by the people of Borivali to step in to correct the party’s decision , adding that if he did not do so, no one would ever dare to stand up to the wrong things.

However, Shetty avoided questioning the party’s policies and the leadership: ‘I am not against BJP's policies or ideologies, I support the BJP and Devendra Fadnavis. But I will fight this decision.’

He said he would file nomination tomorrow and contest the poll.