'Focus on Constitution, laws & security': Ujjwal Nikam after BJP fields 26/11 lawyer from Mumbai North Central
Amid the ongoing general elections 2024, the BJP on Saturday announced its decision to replace incumbent Lok Sabha MP Poonam Mahajan with lawyer Ujjwal Deorao Nikam for the Mumbai North Central seat.
FollowAmid the ongoing general elections 2024, the BJP on Saturday announced its decision to replace incumbent Lok Sabha MP Poonam Mahajan with lawyer Ujjwal Deorao Nikam for the Mumbai North Central seat. Nikam, renowned in legal circles, notably served as a government counsel in the Mumbai terror attack case.
Following this announcement, Ujjwal Nikam in his address to the media thanks Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other key BJP leaders for this opportunity.
"Indeed it is a very pleasant and surprising moment for me. I was practicing against criminals, now God has given me the second inning in the new temple of democracy, i,e., the Parliament," Nikam said.
"For years, you saw me fighting against the accused in court. But today, BJP has given me the responsibility for which I am thankful to PM Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekar Bawankule, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar," the 26/11 prosecutor said.
He further added, "I know that politics is not for me but through you, I would like to tell everyone that the country's Constitution, laws and security would be my priorities. The constituency from where I have been told to contest is a very important constituency of Mumbai. This has been represented by late Manohar Joshi, Ramdas Athawale and Poonam Mahajan. These people have always raised questions in Parliament in the national interest."
Mahajan, daughter of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, had previously represented the constituency in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. She also held the position of former president of the BJP's youth wing.
Party leaders cited organizational feedback as the basis for dropping Mahajan, despite her past electoral victories.
While signs of Mahajan's potential replacement had been circulating for some time, the search for her successor reportedly delayed the decision-making process.
In response, the Congress has nominated its city unit chief and Dharavi MLA, Varsha Gaikwad, as its candidate for Mumbai North Central.
Voting for Mumbai is slated for May 20, coinciding with the fifth phase of polling.
Furthermore, the BJP has announced eight additional candidates for the Odisha assembly elections, which will run concurrently with the general elections.
