Countdown has begun for civic body elections in the State. This time, Congress has declared Mayor candidates for all the 16 seats, thus way ahead of main rival party. Reacting to the list of the Congress candidates, State BJP chief V D Sharma said, “Those who have nothing to lose can do anything. They have no workers, so that they can declare anyone as their candidate.”

He further claimed that development and good governance is their central plank. The BJP will win all municipal corporations and municipalities elections undoubtedly with huge margins as our booth-level workers will take on each rival candidate as a challenge. Kamal (Lotus) is party’s candidate, he said.

Reacting over Sharma’s remark, Congress media incharge KK Mishra said, “In fact the BJP has all resources yet, they have not come up with mayoral candidates’ list. We have already taken lead in this matter and they should release the list of the mayoral candidates instead of making comments on the Congress.”

According to well-placed sources in the BJP, after a high-level meeting, the party will release list of the mayoral candidates. The party, according the sources, wants to take opinion from ground level workers, to MPs (Member of Parliament) and MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly)

In another development, the Congress on Friday slapped defamation notice on BJP Spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai for his controversial tweet on party’s State President and

former Chief Minister Kamal Nath. However, Bajpai denied receiving any notice so far and said that he would stick to his stand. Meanwhile, Preeti Singh Rathore, an active member of women’s wing of Congress has resigned from the party.

The other day, the Congress party’s media wing chief Narendra Saluja had resigned. It is yet to be ascertained as to why she has resigned from party sources said that she was disappointed as her name was missing in the mayoral candidates’ list that was released on Friday.