New Delhi /Jaipur, November 13
Even as the BJP released its second list of 43 candidates for the Rajasthan Assembly elections, it received a serious jolt when its sitting MP from Bharatpur Vishwendra Singh announced his resignation from the party and Lok Sabha and declaring his intent to contest the Deegh-Kumher assembly seat.
Vishwendra Singh, considered an important adviser of Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje, alleged that party ticket were being sold.
The BJP’s shock was even greater because it wasted no time in jeering the Congress party in its ad campaigns in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan quoting recently ousted Congress leader Margaret Alva that ticket were being sold in the Congress.
Within a day of Alva’s allegations, the BJP campaigners put up big hoardings mainly in MP, quoting Alva’s charge against the Congress.
In a statement Singh said, “I have been an active member of the BJP and political adviser to the Rajasthan Chief Minister. I have seen things from very close quarters. I am dismayed by the sale of ticket for the Rajasthan assembly polls and have decided to leave the party.”
Singh said he had sent his resignation to Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee “As I feel that I should not continue as an MP of the BJP.” He is a third-term MP and has also been a member of the state legislative assembly.
And like the Congress, BJP general secretary in charge of Rajasthan Gopinath Munde was quick to react. He said, “He (Vishwendra Singh) was demanding too much from the party. We have tried our bit but there is a limit to things.”
Arun Chaturvedi, BJP spokesman, reacting to the resignation said the BJP would not be affected much by his resignation, “We are strong in Bharatpur and elsewhere. We tried to choose candidates on their winnability factor.
Sources said he could contest the elections from the Deegh constituency. He was seeking party ticket from
the Deegh constituency
Congress spokesman Veerappa Moily had similarly chided Alva for making uncharitable remarks about the Congress.
“I would contest the Deegh-kumher seat in the assembly polls,” Singh said. Meanwhile the BJP has released the names of 43 more candidates to contest the Rajasthan assembly elections, to be held on December 4. The party, which is contesting all 200-assembly seats, has yet to announce the candidates for another 62 seats and has been having a hard time, quelling growing disaffection in the party over distribution of ticket.
In fact critics were raising fingers at even Munde, who hails from Maharashtra, was supposed to act as an independent observer in the state election committee meetings. But the party insiders said he had suggested quite a few names during the selection process.
