Goa Retreat To Ring-Fence City Corporators Before MLC Bypoll | Nagpur News

Nagpur: With the June 18 legislative council bypoll in Nagpur turning into a straight contest between BJP candidate Rajiv Potdar and Congress nominee Atul Londhe, BJP has put in place an elaborate strategy to keep its corporators huddled together in Goa till polling day, amid concerns of possible crossvoting and opposition attempts at vote management.BJP has organised a week-long programme that includes stay at a Goa resort and training sessions, effectively ring-fencing its elected representatives, ahead of the crucial election.As per party sources, BJP corporators will leave Nagpur on June 10 by Duronto Express for Mumbai and fly to Goa the next day. They are expected to stay in the coastal state for three days before returning to Mumbai on June 14. Sources said a welcome programme is likely to be held in the presence of Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant.The corporators will subsequently attend a dinner programme in the presence of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, before participating in a two-day training camp at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini on June 15 and 16. The party brass is also considering accommodating corporators at a resort to ensure unity in ranks. The mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee chairman, however, have been kept out of the tour programme.BJP enjoys a comfortable numerical advantage in Nagpur Municipal Corporation. In the 161-member House, BJP has 109 corporators, while Congress has 36. AIMIM has six members, Indian Union Muslim League four, Shiv Sena (UBT) two, Shiv Sena (Shinde) one, NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) one and BSP one.Despite a favourable arithmetic, BJP is not taking any chances. The party explored the possibility of an unopposed election but failed to secure opposition support after Congress fielded Londhe. With the contest becoming inevitable, BJP strategists are keen to prevent any last-minute surprises.Party insiders said there are concerns about opposition parties trying to influence voting patterns in days leading to the election and ring-fencing corporators is being seen as a precautionary measure to eliminate the possibility of defections or cross-voting.Sources said corporators will be divided into zone-wise groups, with senior office-bearers assigned responsibility for each cluster. Separate accommodation arrangements are being made for male and female corporators as the party gears up for what it views as a politically significant electoral battle, despite its numerical dominance.