Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Nov 4: More BJP leaders after denial of tickets by the Party High Command have decided to jump the poll fray and contest the elections either on the symbol of other political parties or independents.
The Party candidate and SC leader Chaman Lal Kanathia who had contested last Assembly elections unsuccessfully from Khour reserve Assembly segment today announced to jump the poll fray as an independent candidate after the Party denied the ticket to him and preferred a new entrant.
Kanathia claiming the support of BJP Khour block said he was under constant pressure to contest the elections as an independent candidate as he had been working in the constituency for last two decades.
Kanathia, while expressing his total dismay with the Party decision said that his supporters are totally dismayed by the Party decision and hence asked me to contest the elections as an independent candidate.
He said the decision of contesting elections as an independent candidate was taken by him in a meeting of his supporters from Khour Assembly segment today.
Party MLA from Reasi Assembly segment, Baldev Raj Sharma who till yesterday was undecided about contesting the elections today said that he will also join into poll fray either an independent candidate or join PDP.
Sharma said that a meeting of his 250 supporters from different parts of his Constituency was held at Katra today in which over 90 percent people were in favour of contesting the elections as a PDP candidate while rest said that any decision taken by MLA will be accepted to them.
Besides, the supporters of Party MLA from R S Pura Prof Garu Ram held a protest today against the denial of mandate to him. The protestors also torched the effigy of BJP State chief and termed the decision as a vendetta against the MLA.
Protest demonstration was also held by the rival group of BJP candidate Rajiv Jasrotia in Kathua today who accused the Party of thrusting a non local candidate on them. However Jasrotia took out a massive procession in the town as a show of strength.
Meanwhile, some more political leaders from Congress and NC are joining the BJP soon who included Ajatshatru Singh, NC leader and son of former -Sadar-e-Riyasat, Dr Karan Singh and former Mayor JMC, Manmohan Choudhary.
A Party spokesman said that both these leaders have approached the senior BJP leadership and showed their willingness to join the Party. He said they have not kept any pre-condition for joining the Party.
Party sources said that the list for five Jammu seats including Nagrota, Gandhi Nagar, Samba, Billawar and Surankote will also be released soon. While the names of some BJP leaders Dr Nirmal Singh, Chander Mohan Sharma, Ramesh Arora and Kavinder Gupta are making rounds for Nagrota seat, the Party has not yet decided any name.
Sources said Dr Nirmal Singh has refused to contest from Nagrota or Gandhi Nagar Assembly segment and is hard pressing for Billawar seat. Dr Singh has outright told Party leadership that he will not contest the elections if denied the Billawar seat and Party has now softened its stand on Billawar where from most probably Dr Singh will be given mandate.
Sources said that the names of Vikram Randhawa, son of ex MLA, Ch Piara Singh, Aseem Gupta, Kavinder Gupta and Yudhvir Sethi are also making rounds for Gandhi Nagar seat.
Protest was also held at Sunderbani by the BJP activists for denial of ticket to Vishwinder Dev Sharma.
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