Deputy Mayor Withdraws Independent Bid For Re-Election In Holmdel

HOLMDEL, NJ — Deputy Mayor Prakash Santhana, who narrowly won election as an Independent in 2019, has withdrawn his bid for re-election in what has become a changing field of candidates in the race for Township Committee.

Rajesh Mohan remains as an Independent candidate, and Julie Roth yesterday filed her petition with the Monmouth County Clerk of Elections to replace Santhana on the ballot, also running as an Independent.

Monmouth County candidate filings indicate that another candidate, Rahul Diddi, a Democrat, also has withdrawn. He did not comment on the withdrawal when reached yesterday.

Diddi had run unsuccessfully against Councilman Rocco Impreveduto in 2021.

That leaves Barbara Singer, as of Wednesday, as the only Democrat running for the Committee.

Santhana was not immediately available to discuss his reasons for leaving the race. He and fellow Independent Cathy Weber ran as a team in 2019, defeating the regular Republican line. Weber resigned this summer when she relocated to New Hampshire.

Weber and Santhana both supported a proposal to change to a nonpartisan form of government, which was defeated by voters in July. Impreveduto and Committeeman DJ Luccarelli opposed a change of government.

Weber's unexpired spot on the Township Committee has remained unfilled, each side realizing that the other will not support a candidate the other puts forth.

The Republicans running for Township Committee are Kimberley LaMountain and Brian Foster.