BJP goes into damage-control mode in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 5

In a sort of damage-control exercise, the BJP has asked its nominees to break the ice with the party leaders who are upset after the announcement of candidates for the December 24 Municipal Corporation elections.

The senior leaders, including the party’s MC poll in-charge Vinod Tawde and president Arun Sood, held a meeting with all 35 party candidates in this regard last night.

“Some of the sitting councillors, some ticket probables or their supporters who could not be accommodated this time may be feeling sidelined. Those candidates who have such leaders in their respective wards have been asked to meet and cheer them up,” said a party leader.

“The party nominees have been directed if they are unable to convince the disappointed workers, they should bring it to the knowledge of the senior party leaders. They will accompany them to meet the upset ones,” he added.

Sitting councillors Raj Bala Malik, Asha Kumari Jaswal, Gurpreet Singh Dhillon, Farmila and Rajesh Gupta Bittu have been dropped from the candidates’ list this time. Some of them are upset with the party. Some others, including the BJP OBC morcha chairman, who had publicly expressed disappointment along his supporters, had announced he would not vote in the polls. The disgruntled leader had said they would not campaign for the party.

City party chief Sood said, “There are one or two rebels, or a few upset ones. The candidates, at a meeting, were asked to contact them and bring them on board.”