BJP's Ultimatum: Withdraw or Face Party Wrath in Dhanbad Mayor Race

Dhanbad: BJP issued a stern warning to party candidates who have filed nominations for the mayoral post in the urban local body elections scheduled on Feb 23, stating that failure to withdraw their papers will invite strict organisational disciplinary action.

Speaking to TOI, BJP state president Aditya Sahu said that apart from the BJP-supported candidate, all other individuals associated with the party who have filed nominations for the mayoral post must withdraw their papers.

“If they do not withdraw, it will be treated as indiscipline and the party will take appropriate action,” he said.

However, he clarified that this directive would not apply at the ward level, where several BJP workers are contesting elections independently. “Many party workers are contesting from different wards, and this instruction will not be applicable to them,” he added.

In Dhanbad, several BJP-linked leaders, including Chandrashekhar Agarwal, Sanjeev Singh, Sanjeev Agarwal, Mukesh Pandey, Bhirgunath Bhagat, and Shantanu Chandra, had filed nominations for the mayoral post.

BJP has officially extended its support to Sanjeev Agarwal, who filed his nomination the presence of senior leaders, including Dhanbad MP Dulu Mahato, Dhanbad MLA Raj Sinha, and state president Aditya Sahu.

Meanwhile, Chandrashekhar Agarwal quit BJP and joined JMM, while Shantanu Chandra resigned from the party’s primary membership.

BJP leader Bhirgunath Bhagat defended his decision to contest, stating that he had also fought elections in last poll and that the current civic polls were not being held on a party basis. “The party should not interfere. Every worker should be free to contest,” he said.

Mukesh Pandey and other candidates said that they will not withdraw their nominations and have intensified their campaign efforts.