More voices of dissent in BJP; ex-OBC panel chief says Saini not been given much say in ticket allocation

CHANDIGARH: Amid deepening schisms within the ruling BJP in Haryana over poll ticket distribution, party leader Karan Dev Kamboj on Wednesday indicated that the rebellion could have been prevented if chief minister Nayab Saini had a "say" on the allocation process. Meanwhile, senior party leader from south Haryana, Ram Bilas Sharma filed his nomination papers from Mahendragarh. It appears that he feared the BJP may not field him. Sharma, a former minister, filed his papers even as the party has not yet declared the name of its candidate for the seat.

Party leader and former MLA from Hathin segment Kehar Singh Rawat quit the BJP after he was not given a ticket.

Another party leader Zile Ram Sharma, upset over not getting ticket from Assandh, was also sulking.

This comes two days after Union minister and Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh asserted that people want him to become the chief minister.

Union minister and former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had sought to downplay Singh's remark saying anybody can claim if they want, adding Union Home Minister Amit Shah had already announced that the elections will be fought under the leadership of Saini.

Former minister Kamboj, who last week stepped down as the state unit's OBC Morcha chief after being denied ticket to contest the October 5 assembly polls, claimed many party leaders who deserved to be given tickets have been ignored.

"When the BJP made Nayab Saini the chief minister, the party's graph went up. But while picking up candidates, the CM has not been given much say in ticket allocation...The rebellion, which we are seeing on many seats, could have been prevented," he claimed.

Kamboj, who like Saini hails from the OBC community, said he has not yet resigned from the BJP's primary membership and that his supporters will take a call on his next move. He was eyeing a ticket from Indri and Radaur segments.

The BJP leader claimed the party rewarded many new entrants and turncoats with tickets while ignoring those who have been working for years.

On Tuesday, BJP's state unit vice president Santosh Yadav quit the party, saying grassroots leaders who have been loyal to the party are being neglected.

Yadav, a former deputy speaker of state assembly, was said to be eyeing a ticket from Ateli constituency, where the BJP has picked Aarti Singh Rao, the daughter of Inderjit Singh, as its candidate.

Shortly after the BJP had come out with its first list of 67 candidates last week, the party faced rebellion with minister Ranjit Singh Chautala and MLA Lakshman Dass Napa who were denied ticket quitting the party.

There were few other less prominent party leaders who followed in their footsteps, while some known faces of the party openly expressed their disappointment after being denied ticket.

Amid the voices of dissent, Rao Inderjit Singh on Monday said it was not his wish, but that of the public that he becomes the chief minister.

"Even today, people wish that I (Rao) should become CM," he had said.

Singh, who was addressing a gathering in support of BJP's Gurugram candidate Mukesh Sharma, also blamed the state machinery for letting garbage pile up on roads and not cleaning sewers.

"You will be told I was not able to get Gurgaon cleaned, its sewers cleaned," Singh, who is a senior leader of the BJP, with south Haryana being his stronghold, said.

The BJP on Tuesday released a second list of 21 candidates for the Haryana Assembly polls, denying tickets to two ministers and replacing its nominee for the Pehowa seat.

The ruling party also denied tickets to the sitting MLAs from Ganaur, Pataudi, Hathin and Hodal seats.

The trouble for the BJP started shortly after it came out with the first list of candidates as it left many sulking.

Minister of State for Social Justice, Empowerment, SCs and BCs Bishamber Singh, the MLA from Bawani Khera reserve seat, was in tears after the party gave ticket to Kapur Valmiki from the seat while former Minister Kavita Jain also broke down after not getting a ticket from Sonipat.

On the BJP facing rebellion on a few seats after the party had announced its first list of candidates on September 4, Khattar had on Monday said there may be more than one claimant for a ticket from a seat.

There can be some resentment if an aspirant does not get a party ticket and it happens in every election, he added.

"We have pacified many people and will speak to the remaining in a day or two," Khattar had said.

The BJP is aiming for a hat-trick in the assembly polls but faces a tough challenge from a resurgent Congress which is looking to cash in on the anti-incumbency factor. Saini is the BJP's chief ministerial face for the assembly polls.

The counting of votes will take place on October 8.
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