Denied tickets: Uttarakhand BJP leaders threaten to leave party

Dehradun: BJP in Uttarakhand choosing Congress-turncoats over many own dedicated leaders as candidates for the Assembly elections has grown discontent in many. Some of the leaders plans to leave BJP for other parties while a few went public with their disapproval, PTI reported.

Sitting BJP MLA Munni Devi Shah, who was denied a ticket, demanded that the BJP central leadership explain why it is so, despite her generous contribution to the party. She said she would not have been hurt so much if the party had fielded dedicated own leaders instead of turncoats from Congress. It has shattered the party workers morale, she said. Because of pressure from her supporters, she might contest as an independent, she said. Shah, the Tharali MLA, won the seat in 2018 bypolls after MLA in the constituency also her husband died.

Sitting MLA of Dwarahat, Mahesh Negi, said that he was denied a ticket through a conspiracy. He, who was accused in a rape case in 2020, said that despite his name being on top in all the organizational surveys, he didn't get a ticket.

Meanwhile, Om Gopal Rawat, who contented for a ticket in Narendra Nagar but BJP fielded cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal, plans to join Congress. Rawat complained that BJP doesn't care about dedicated party workers whose efforts strengthen it at the grassroots levels. It has no principles or value but yearned for power, he said.

Ex-MLA Mahavir Rangad said that he was disheartened as Pritam Singh Panwar became BJP candidate in Dhanaulti instead of himself. He has decided to contest independent as well as Darshan Lal, who contented for a BJP ticket in Ghansali.

Tika Maikhuri has threatened to contest as independent from Karnaprayag, while Manoj Shah threatened to quit the party. The latter is an independent sitting MLA who had joined BJP last year.

The state BJP responded to the growing clamour that discontent among contenders for tickets is natural, and it will subside in a couple of days. There could be many contenders for a seat, but one person could be given a ticket, and everyone should accept the decision of the BJP centre. The party has confidence in its workers. BJP added.

However, BJP had started pacifying unhappy leaders with promises of positions within the party as it does not wish them to contest against its official candidates and win.