Pragya Thakur excluded from BJP's panel for Bhopal local polls

Bhopal: Pragya Singh Thakur, first time BJP MP and an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, is known for controversial remarks that embarrass her own party. She has not been included in the saffron party's committee for the Bhopal city local body elections.

The state BJP had recently formed a selection panel of senior leaders to select the party's candidates in next month's urban local government elections. Committees were formed for seven divisions, including Gwalior-Chambal, Sagar, Shahdol-Rewa, Indore, Ujjain, Bhopal-Narmadapuram and Jabalpur divisions.

In the Bhopal-Narmadapuram division (three Lok Sabha seats, Bhopal, Vidisha and Hoshangabad), a committee of nine-member committee has been instituted to select candidates for the two phased local body elections scheduled for July 6 and 13, according to the New Indian Express.

First time MP from Vidisha Ramakant Bhargava (considered close to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan) and third-time sitting MP from Hoshangabad Uday Pratap Singh are included in the selection committee. Pragya Singh Thakur, the third Lok Sabha member of the division, the first time MP from Bhopal, wasn't included in the panel.

The incident took place on the same day that suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma was defended by Thakur. Commenting on the party not considering her on the panel, Thakur tweeted, "The answer to all these questions is that I respect the decision of the party organization not to include me in the selection committee."