BJP workers unhappy over selection of candidates

Since the BJP has announced its candidates for the Assembly elections, voices of dissent have started echoing in Thanesar, Shahabad and Pehowa Assembly segments of Kurukshetra.

In Ladwa, the party has fielded Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini in Thanesar, it has retained its faith in sitting MLA Subhash Sudha. However, in Pehowa and Shahabad, the party has fielded fresh faces Kawaljeet Singh Ajrana and Subhash Kalsana, respectively.

While Jai Bhagwan Sharma had already opened a front against the sitting Thanesar MLA and had been seeking a party ticket, supporters of senior party leader Krishan Bajaj have also marked their resentment against the party’s decision.

Similarly, supporters of former Shahabad MLA Krishan Bedi held a meeting and threatened to resign from the party if the party candidate was not changed in two days.

Sarvajeet Kalsani, BJP Shahabad Mandal president, said, “The party has fielded wrong candidate from Shahabad. Krishan Bedi has worked hard for the party in the constituency and he should have been fielded from here. A large number of party workers who have been actively working for the party were inducted by Krishan Bedi and they are ready to resign from their respective duties if the decision for the ticket was not changed. We have expressed our resentment with the party high command and a 21-member committee has been formed to take further call.”

In Pehowa, the party workers are not happy with the candidature of Kawaljeet Singh Ajrana.

The party workers said that despite having dedicated and old party leaders, the party has fielded an outsider in Pehowa. The person who used to lead protests against the party has been fielded as the party candidate.

Ramdhari Sharma, a BJP leader from Pehowa, said, “The party should field a local candidate; otherwise, they will be forced to resign from the party. We have conveyed our resentment with the leadership, and if the ticket is not changed, we will hold a meeting to decide the future course of action.

Now, persuading the agitating party workers will be another challenge for the candidates.

Meanwhile, BJP district chief Sushil Rana, said, “We are holding discussions with the people who have marked resentment in Thanesar, Pehowa and Shahabad. They all are our old workers and we will address their grievances. We have already conveyed their thoughts and requests to the party high command and the rest of the action is to be taken by the senior leadership. The party has announced candidates for all four segments and we ensure that all candidates win their respective seats.

Shiromani Panthik Akali Dal chief Jagdish Singh Jhinda said since former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had formed the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, the Panthik Akali Dal will support Congress candidates in the election. Jhinda said the BJP has been trying to divide the Sikh community so the party will oppose BJP candidates.