M A I N   N E W S

Rift in Haryana BJP over ticket allocation
* Irate workers ransack party office in Rohtak
* Dissent in other dists too
Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 16
Serious differences have emerged in the Haryana unit of the BJP, a day after the announcement of its Lok Sabha candidates. Strong protests resulting in almost a revolt-like situation were reported from various parliamentary constituencies even as state BJP chief Ram Bilas Sharma said there would be no re-think on the names of candidates.

The Haryana BJP chief had to face the wrath of supporters of former party MLA Naresh Malik who was denied ticket from Rohtak. Malik’s supporters ransacked the party office, raised slogans against the central leadership and showed black flags to Sharma.

The Rohtak ticket has been allotted to president of BJP Kissan Morcha Om Parkash Dhankar, who is seen as an outsider. In Sonepat, workers were unhappy over party choosing Ramesh Kaushik and ignoring front-runner Pradeep Sangwan. Sangwan, a state secretary, has threatened to contest as an Independent and his supporters have vowed to defeat Kaushik. Kaushik was first elected as Haryana Vikas Party’s MLA from Gannaur constituency in 1996 and served as minister in Bansi Lal cabinet. He later joined hands with Om Prakash Chautala to topple the Bansi Lal government in 1999.

Resentment was reported from Bhiwani, too, where Sohna legislator and former chief parliamentary secretary (CPS) Dharamvir Singh, who quit Congress two days ago, has been made the BJP nominee for the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh parliamentary constituency. Haryana Congress Minister Kiran Chaudhary, whose daughter Shruti is the sitting MP, accused Dharamvir of procuring the BJP ticket by clandestine means. BJP’s ticket aspirant and former MP Sudha Yadav has gone on record to lodge her protest with the party high command saying the party had ignored the committed workers and loyal leaders by giving the ticket to a person who joined the party just a day ago.

Several supporters of Yadav has announced their opposition to Dharamvir and pledged to work against him. Even BJP’s Gurgaon nominee, Rao Inderjit Singh, joined the party a couple of weeks ago after deserting the Congress. A prominent leader of the Ahirwal belt, he is said to be facing opposition from BJP workers. In Kurukshetra, BJP nominee Raj Kumar Saini came under strong attack from various quarters.