Rajasthan BJP workers voice dissent over party's poll ticket

Bundi (Rajasthan), Nov 6: BJP workers in the Bundi and Hindoli Assembly constituencies in Rajasthan are unhappy over the party's choice of candidates for these two seats in the upcoming elections, sources said.

Sitting BJP MLA Ashok Dogra is to contest from the Bundi Assembly seat while the ticket for the Hindoli constituency has gone to Mahipat Singh.

Following the declaration of the party's candidates for 176 seats last night, a large number of district BJP workers have openly protested against the candidatures of Dogra and Singh.

Party workers said that BJP state president and former chief minister Vasundhara Raje had ignored the district when it came to distributing poll tickets with the decision on the two candidates having left them "disappointed and dissatisfied".

"We shall convey our dissatisfaction and protest against the candidatures (of the duo) to the party high command," said District BJP general secretary Dr Brijbala, who added that local party workers had held a meeting today to discuss the matter. District BJP president and an aspirant for the Assembly ticket from Hindoli, Kalulal Jhangid, said Raje was an "unapproachably high" figure for ordinary party workers.

Bundi city BJP president Sushil Mehatha, meanwhile, said that although local party workers and officials were under obligation to support Dogra and Singh, it was regretful they had not been consulted before the naming of the two candidates. As to the rival Congress, speculation is rife that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav may make his political debut on a Congress ticket from Hindoli.

"The possibility of Vaibhav's contesting his debut Assembly polls from Hindoli cannot be ruled out and he is welcome here," said former state minister for finance and ex-Congress MLA, Harimohan Sharma, himself one of the top aspirants for the party ticket from Hindoli.

National Commission for Women Chairperson Mamta Sharma is reportedly one of the strongest aspirants for the Congress ticket for the Bundi Assembly seat . Congress is yet to declare its candidates for the three assembly seats in the district — Bundi, Hindoli and Keshoraipatan.

PTI