Blow to BJP: Spate of resignations over dropped leaders in Gujarat poll list

A day after the BJP announced its first list of 70 candidates for the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections, voices of dissent surfaced within the party despite its leaders claiming that the choices made were unanimous.

There was a spate of resignations from the primary membership of the party, Vijaysinh Patel, a member of the Bharuch district panchayat, quit the party, protesting against the Ankleshwar assembly seat being given to Ishwarsinh Patel, the sitting MLA from the seat. Vijaysinh and Ishwarsinh are brothers, reports News 18.

On Saturday, supporters of senior party leader IK Jadeja gathered at the party headquarters in Gandhinagar and raised slogans against the BJP for not being given a ticket from Wadhwan constituency in Saurashtra.

Mahuva municipality councillor Bipin Sanghvi quit the BJP saying he has been consistently ignored for candidature. Sanghvi, who has been with the BJP since Jan Sangh days, said, "I have been asking for ticket for the last four terms. But I have been ignored always. The party decided to go with Raghavjibhai Makwana from the seat once again.

In another setback, a prominent leader of the Koli community from Saurashtra and sitting MLA from Kodinar, Jetha Solanki, submitted his resignation from the party.

Alleging that Dalits have been facing "atrocities" under BJP rule, the Dalit leader also said that he was "unhappy" after being told by the party that he will not get a ticket this time, news agency PTI reported.

"I have resigned from the BJP, as an MLA and also as the parliamentary secretary. I have decided to quit as the party has stopped listening to my representations," he was quoted as saying.

However, Solanki's constituency, was not among the 36 tickets that the BJP announced on Saturday in its second wave of candidates.

In Jasdan constituency, Gajendra Ramani quit after he did not find his name as BJP candidate for the seat. The BJP decided to field Bharat Boghra instead of Ramani, who was prompt in telling the media that he will join the Congress.

In tribal-dominated Dang, district BJP general secretary Dashrath Pawar resigned from the post as he was overlooked and the party re-nominated Vijay Patel, who had lost 2012 elections by a thin margin of 2,422 votes.

Meanwhile, the Adivasi Ekta Manch, a front supported by the BJP, has threatened to field as many as ten candidates in tribal dominated seats of south Gujarat.

Voting for Gujarat's 182 assembly seats will held on December 8 and 14. Results will be declared on December 18.

OneIndia News