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Dinesh Manhotra
Tribune News Service
Jammu, October 16
A ‘helpless’ BJP is finding it difficult take action against party leaders contesting the Block Development Council (BDC) elections as rebels against the official nominees of the party, especially in the Jammu province.
Although official candidates have repeatedly brought the matter to the notice of the state leadership, no action has been taken against the rebels, who have the ‘patronage’ of senior leaders, including some former MLAs.
Sources said over 50 BJP leaders, including some office-bearers, have been contesting the BDC elections as rebels against the official nominees in different parts of Jammu. “Some block and district committees are openly supporting rebel candidates in many areas thus creating embarrassment for the party,” a senior BJP leader, wishing anonymity, told The Tribune. He said a weak state leadership was hesitating to take action against the rebels. “Forget action, the weak state leadership is also in touch with those who are contesting against the official candidates,” he said and added that indecisiveness of the incumbent leadership would further encourage factionalism in the party.
Sources said BJP’s district vice-president of Scheduled Caste Morcha Manohar Lal was contesting the election as an Independent candidate against party’s official nominee Hari Saran, who is the sarpanch of Garhi panchayat. “The official candidate has repeatedly urged the state leadership of take action against the rebel but to no avail because senior leaders of Jammu district are supporting the rebel candidates,” a source said and added that a similar situation had emerged in many BDCs due to the failure of the party to persuade rebels.
The sources said of the total 20 BDCs of Jammu district, seven BJP rebel candidates were in the fray. Similar is the situation in Kathua and Udhampur districts where some party leaders, who were denied tickets, were contesting as rebels.
The BJP state president, while releasing the party’s list of candidates on October 5, had admitted difficulties in finalising candidates for seats.
“It was very difficult to finalise the candidates as a majority of panches and sarpanches belong to the BJP and there are more than 5-6 aspirants for every seat,” he had said.