Rebels may mar BJP’s electoral prospects

Dehradun, January 10

Fourteen BJP rebels, who have been denied party ticket, may mar the electoral prospects of the party in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

From Rajpur to Badrinath the rebels are ready to fight the elections as Independent candidates or on the ticket of regional parties.

The regional parties are not only welcoming the BJP rebels with open arms but are also offering them ticket. Miffed former Tourism Minister and sitting BJP MLA from Badrinath Kedar Singh Fonia, who recently quit the party, has filed nomination papers from the Badrinath seat on the Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha (URM) ticket.

There are 12 sitting MLAs and two Cabinet ministers belonging to the BJP, who have been denied ticket, and the regional parties are willing to oblige them.

On the Purola Assembly seat, the sitting MLA from Sahaspur (Dehradun district), Raj Kumar, has already decided to fight the elections as an Independent candidate. Though Cabinet minister and sitting MLA from Dhanolti Khazan Das has also decided to fight as an Independent candidate, he has been approached by the Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha and the Congress.

Another BJP heavyweight Mohan Singh Gaunwasi, who wanted ticket from the Srinagar seat, MLA Brijmohan Kotwal, MLA from Karnprayag Anil Nautiyal and MLA from Pindar GL Shah, who was demanding ticket from the Tharali (SC) seat in Chamoli district, are also miffed over the denial of ticket.

However, the BJP has deputed leaders to check resentment and rebellion over the allotment of ticket. “The winnability factor was taken into account while allotting ticket. The party will take disciplinary action if all our efforts to placate dissatisfied leaders fail. We are in talks with them and they too have met the high command to register their resentment over the allotment of ticket,” said Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, chairman of the Uttarakhand BJP Election Committee.