Amid pressure from leaders, BJP likely to relax ‘one family, one ticket’ policy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 22

Despite opposing dynastic politics vociferously, the BJP is likely to depart from its 'one family, one ticket' formula and make an exception to accommodate family members of its leaders in the state.

‘Influential’ families may have their way

• Union Minister of State Rao Inderjit’s daughter, Aarti Rao, has already announced her decision to contest the Assembly elections with or without a party ticket. Union Minister Krishan Pal Gujjar wants a ticket for his son.
• Kiran Choudhry, who is set to be elected to the Rajya Sabha, is also keen on a ticket for her daughter, Shruti. MP Naveen Jindal’s mother, Savitri Jindal, is hoping to get the ticket.

Sources in the party said some of its senior leaders, seeking Assembly tickets for their family members, had approached the top brass to dilute this policy as a one-time exception in the Assembly elections, scheduled for October 1, while others were flexing their muscles in the field.

Since anti-incumbency is the biggest challenge for the BJP after two consecutive terms in the government, the party had made it clear that fresh faces would be fielded from a number of seats and deadwood would be removed. This had raised the hopes of the “political families” vying for tickets for their children or other relatives.

A senior BJP leader said the party was grappling with the challenge of sticking to its policy of ‘one family, one ticket’ while also keeping the state’s political families happy. “While Union Minister of State Rao Inderjit’s daughter, Aarti Rao, has already announced her decision to contest election with or without a party ticket, established leaders are also making such demands. While another Union Minister, Krishan Pal Gujjar, wants a ticket for his son, MP Dharambir Singh is also keen that his son contest the Assembly elections. The party's nominee, Kiran Choudhry, who is set to be elected to the Rajya Sabha, is also keen on a ticket for her daughter, Shruti, a former MP. Also, MP Naveen Jindal’s mother, Savitri Jindal, a former minister, is hoping to get a ticket,” a source said.

Sources further said two other leaders had also sought a ticket each for a nephew and a son. There are still other senior leaders who want to contest the election themselves and want a ticket for another family member as well, even though they presently occupy no position in the BJP.

Senior leaders said the BJP was actively considering relaxing its policy and giving precedence to “winnability”. “That is the only criteria as we go into the election season and a lot will depend on ticket distribution. The party will take into account the reports of the multiple surveys carried out at every seat and take a call on every seat. If a family member can win the seat, the ticket is unlikely to be denied,” a leader said.