Royal rivalry in Karauli for BJP ticket

Jaipur, Nov 12 (UNI) It is a royal rivalry for a BJP ticket in Karauli assembly constituency of Rajasthan even as allotment of the ruling party tickets have triggered discontent and protests in a section of the saffron party camps.

Scion of Karauli royal family Raja Harish Chandra Pal was expecting the ruling party's nomination on the Karuali seat for himself but the party leadership impressed by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's women empowerment plank, has allotted the ticket to Rani Rohini Devi.

According to sources close to the royal family, the former ruler was still making all-out efforts for a change in the candidature in his favour. The royal couple was said to be in touch with the party leadership.

However, it was not clear whether the party nominee Ms Rohini Devi was trying to defend her ticket or lobbying for her husband.

Besides the royals, party strongmen like former Minister sitting MLA Dr Kirodi Lal Meena and his supporters were also agitated over allotment of ticket to the rival faction of leaders.

The MLA whose name did not figure in the first party list, is not only demanding tickets for himself and his supporters but they are also opposing candidature of former MP Ms Usha Meena from Mahuwa(ST) constituency.

They burnt Ms Meena's effigy and threatened that they would not allow her to file even her nomination.

Dr Meena told UNI that Ms Meena had contested Lok Sabha election twice on a Congress ticket and her entire family was pro Congress but a defector like her was allotted party ticket at his costs.

The MLA Meena also expressed anguish over fielding of former Minister Shailendra Joshi from Bandikui. Mr Joshi, who had joined the BJP a few days ago, had lost the last assembly election in Bandikui by a huge margin of 42,000 and the Congress had denied him ticket, he added.

Parliamentary Secretary Govind Meghwal was also annoyed over selection of party candidates and even alleged that some of the party tickets were sold out to undeserving people.

Besides this, workers of about a dozen of constituencies have also held demonstrations at various places, including Bikaner, Hindon, Ramganj Mandi and Phulera.

Groups of workers and supporters from places like Bassi, Jhunjhunu and Chittorgarh also held demonstration at the party headquarters here during past 2 days.

In view of the protests and agitations by party workers, the security at and around the party headquarters here has been beefed up.

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