Upset BJP leaders threaten to contest poll as Independents

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 17

Left in the lurch by the BJP leadership in the Monday’s ticket allocation for the Assembly elections, several party contenders have decided to fight the elections as Independent candidates. Dissidence has been growing in the BJP and could mar the prospects of official candidates in at least 23 Assembly seats.

As the contenders, who were overlooked, such as Asha Nautiyal from Kedarnath, Om Gopal Rawat from Narendernagar, Suresh Chand, a strong contender from Roorkee, and Shailender Rawat from Kotdwar are now planning to contest the elections as Independent candidates.

Suresh Chand Jain, while speaking with The Tribune from Roorkee, said, “I am surprised at my exclusion. I have a clean image and have honestly worked for the party. In fact, I faced problems because Pradeep Batra, who has been given the ticket in my place, sabotaged all projects when he was in the Congress”. He said he was in touch with congress leaders and would announce his decision in a day or two.

Om Gopal Rawat has already decided to contest the elections as an Independent candidate from Narendernagar and expose BJP candidate Subodh Uniyal.

On the other hand, Shailendera Rawat, who was denied the BJP ticket from Kotdwar, received an overwhelming response from his supporters in his constituency. “I do not know why I have been left out. It is the second time in a row. I know I am being punished at the behest of a leader. He has taken his revenge. A leader with a dubious image has been preferred over me,” said Rawat.

A tearful Asha Nautiyal too was dismayed at the manner in which Shaila Rani Rawat, a Congress rebel who joined the BJP recently, was favoured. “I have been nursing my constituency for the last five years. This is how the party has paid me back,” she said.

Meanwhile, sitting Chaubatakhal MLA Teerath Singh Rawat, who has been denied the ticket, could not believe that the BJP would field Satpal Maharaj, a former Congress leader, from his Assembly seat. “He was brought into the Congress fold during my tenure as party president. What can I say,” he said. In fact, to aggravate his despair, the party leadership has asked former Chief Minister BC Khanduri to bring him around.

Vijaya Barthwal, who has been denied the ticket from Yamkeshwar, is also shocked. The BJP has given the ticket to BC Khanduri’s daughter Ritu Khanduri in her place.