Former special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam will be contesting the Lok Sabha election from the Mumbai North Central constituency, replacing sitting MP Poonam Mahajan of the BJP. Nikam will face off against Congress's Varsha Gaikwad in the upcoming election.
For the unversed, Poonam Mahajan is the daughter of former IT minister Pramod Mahajan.
Ujjwal Nikam, known for his extensive legal career, handled high-profile cases like the 1993 Bombay bombings, Gulshan Kumar murder case, Pramod Mahajan murder case, and the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He also served as the special public prosecutor in the 2013 Mumbai gang rape case. In recognition of his contributions, Nikam was honored with the Padma Shri in 2016.
Ujjwal Nikam, originally from Jalgaon, was considered by the BJP as a potential candidate from the same constituency in the previous elections.
The BJP has chosen not to field sitting MP Poonam Mahajan for re-election due to negative ratings in several poll surveys. Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar was also considered, but he declined the opportunity to contest. There were rumors that Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit was approached for the seat, according to some reports.
Poonam Mahajan secured victory in the Mumbai North Central constituency in both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, defeating Congress candidate Priya Dutt. Priya Dutt had previously served as the MP for the constituency from 2009 to 2014.
According to party leaders, the decision to drop Poonam Mahajan was made based on feedback from the organization, as per a report by news agency PTI.
While there had been indications for some time that Poonam Mahajan would be dropped, the search for her replacement by the party took some time, according to sources speaking to PTI. The Congress, on the other hand, nominated its city unit chief and Dharavi MLA Varsha Gaikwad from Mumbai North Central.
Voting in Mumbai is set for May 20 during the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Additionally, the BJP announced eight more candidates for the Odisha assembly polls, which will take place concurrently with the general elections.