AHMEDABAD: The internal discord within Gujarat’s BJP appears to be intensifying with local party leaders openly slamming some of the recently announced Lok Sabha candidates.
Criticism is particularly mounting against candidates such as Ranjan Bhatt in Vadodara, Bhikhaji Thakor in Sabar kantha, Dhaval Patel in Valsad, and party leaders like Rekha Chaudhary in Banaskantha.
In a move to de-escalate the tension, the party has launched ‘Hun Saathe Chhu’(I am with you) campaign on social media to address the dissatisfaction among local leaders regarding the candidates in these four seats.
It seems to be an endeavour to underscore that the local leaders are aligned with the candidates. Following the announcement of the candidates for the 22 of the total 26 parliamentary constituencies, the resentment of the party’s local leaders against contenders in four seats started to come to the fore.
The discord initially emerged in Vadodara where Jyoti Pandya, the vice-president of BJP’s Rashtriya Mahila Morcha and former Mayor of Vadodara, tendered her resignation in protest against Bhatt’s candidature.
Another controversy surfaced at the Sabarkantha constituency, with a social media post Bhikhaji Thakor’s caste going viral. Some of the leaders stated that he might be a Damor and not a Thakor as claimed.
There have been reports of opposition against Rekhaben Chaudhary as a female candidate for the Banaskantha constituency in North Gujarat -- perceived as a weak spot for the BJP. Also, the selection of Dhaval Patel from the Valsad (ST) seat in South Gujarat has reportedly sparked discontentment among the local leaders.
Many Cong workers switch sides
Several hundred Congress functionaries on Friday joined the BJP in Gujarat’s Jamnagar in the presence of local MP Poonam Maadam who has been renominated by the BJP and is up against Congress’ J P Marvia, who is an elected member of Jamnagar panchayat. “More and more people are now believing in the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and therefore they have joined us,” she said.