JAIPUR: Protests by BJP ticket claimants erupted in many districts of Rajasthan after the party declared its second list of 83 candidates for the assembly election. Earlier after the first list of 41 candidates, there was strong resentment among workers.
Protests on Sunday were particularly intense in Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bundi, Alwar, and Jaipur. The BJP is likely to face electoral setbacks in the entire division, including Chittorgarh.
In Chittorgarh, Rajasthan BJP president CP Joshi had to face the ire of protestors after the party dropped sitting MLA Chandrabhan Singh Aakya and the ticket was instead given to Narpat Singh Rajvi.
Party workers chanted slogans against CP Joshi and staged a protest.
Supporters of Chandrabhan Singh Aakya, who served as an MLA from Chittorgarh for two consecutive terms, voiced their dissent on learning of his ticket being revoked.
Akya’s supporters congregated outside the MLA’s office and chanted slogans against the BJP state president. Security arrangements were reinforced with the deployment of police personnel at Joshi’s residence.
Reacting to the news, Akya said that he had anticipated his ticket’s cancellation. “When Joshi was part of NSUI and I was with ABVP, he harboured animosity towards me. Consequently, my ticket was revoked. During our student years, he was responsible for NSUI, while I took charge of ABVP’s responsibilities. Our paths crossed in the Panchayat election which only intensified Joshi’s bias against me."
In Rajsamand, supporters of BJP aspirants Dinesh Badala, Ganesh Paliwal, and Mahendra Kothari vandalised the BJP's office in protest against fielding sitting MLA Deepti Maheshvari. Angry workers set election materials on fire and the police had to intervene. Many officials and booth workers have resigned in protest against the ticket decision.
In Udaipur, deputy mayor Paras Singhvi opposed the candidacy of Tara Chand Jain. Becoming emotional in front of the workers, he urged the party’s top leaders to reconsider. Paras also criticised Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, saying he was corrupting Udaipur’s politics. Kataria was a prominent figure in the party in the Udaipur division.
Protests erupted at the party office in Jaipur where supporters of sitting MLA Ashok Lahoty opposed Bhajan Lal Sharma getting a ticket from Sanganer in place of Lahoty.
At Chaugan Gate in Bundi city, BJP workers protested the nomination of Ashok Dogra from Bundi.