Uttarakhand polls: Revolt in BJP more severe than Congress

Dehra Dun, Jan 12: In the run up to the January 30 assembly polls in Uttarakhand, both the ruling BJP and Congress have had their share of post-ticket distribution revolts but the saffron party seems to have suffered more.

According to sources in both the parties, Congress and BJP are facing rebel candidates in about two dozen constituencies.

While Congress has not denied any ticket to its sitting MLA to avoid any rebellion, the ruling BJP has created a political storm by axing nearly 12 of the total 36 sitting MLAs from the poll race in the face of anti-incumbency. These also include two ministers - Khajan Das and Govind Singh Bist.

Congress is facing not-so-severe rebellion in the party where leaders like former Animal Husbandry Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani are grumbling after being denied tickets.

However, former Chief Minister N D Tiwari, who was initially upset after being ignored by the party high command, managed to get two tickets for his nephew Manish Tiwari and OSD Aryender Sharma.

Naithani is ready to file nomination papers from Devprayag constituency as an independent, Jot Singh Bist, a staunch supporter of Union Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Harish Rawat, has already filed nomination from Dhanaulti.

PTI