Another BJP rebel in fray as Independent
J&K BJP vice-president Pawan Khajuria filed nomination as an Independent from Udhampur East on Wednesday, amid unrest in the party over ticket allocation.
He submitted his papers at the end of his two-day ultimatum to the party leadership to change the official candidate and former MLA RS Pathania from the constituency. “I have served the party for 35 years and preferred it over everything else. The workers got dejected after the party decided to give the mandate to a person who indulged in anti-party activities. So, I responded to the call of the workers and jumped into the fray,” Khajuria said.
This comes a day after another senior party leader Chander Mohan Sharma submitted his papers as an Independent from Jammu East after the ticket was given to Yudhvir Sethi. Two BJP rebel candidates are already in the fray from Ramban and Padder-Nagseni constituencies in Chenab Valley.
Meanwhile, several bigwigs of the Congress and the BJP submitted their nomination papers and held massive road shows and rallies.
Pradesh Congress Committee working president Raman Bhalla filed nomination from RS Pura-Jammu South, former minister Yogesh Sawhney from Jammu East, former minister Mula Ram from Marh, former minister Yashpaul Kundal from Ramgarh constituency, DDC member Taranjit Singh Tony from Bahu, BJP’s former minister Chander Prakash Ganga from Vijaypur and former minister Rajiv Jasrotia from Jasrota. BJP’s Vikram Randhawa is in fray from Bahu, DPAP’s leader Gourav Chopra from Jammu West and NC’s Rajesh Pargotra from Vijaypur.
