RANCHI: With 35 out of the 66 candidates declared by the BJP for the Assembly polls in Jharkhand being turncoats, party workers are quite disappointed. Further, many close relatives of top politicians have also managed to get tickets, leaving BJP workers in a quandary over how they will defend the party against charges of nepotism.
In the first list of 66 candidates, the BJP has given tickets to Purnima Das Sahu, the daughter-in-law of former CM Raghubar Das; Meera Munda, the wife of Arjun Munda; Babulal Soren, the son of Champai Soren; Roshan Lal, the brother of C P Choudhary, who joined the BJP hours before the announcement of candidates; and Satrughan Mahato, brother of BJP MP Dhullu Mahto.
According to party functionaries, though dissent in the BJP is not out in the open, the top leadership has to be alert. Many party workers, who had been working on the ground with a hope of getting tickets, are feeling cheated and looking for other options to remain in active politics, they said.
Several party leaders, including former minister Louis Marandi, have already left the party and joined the JMM. “BJP workers are quite disappointed over the list of candidates released for the Assembly elections as many of those given tickets did not deserve it and those we considered as state or national leaders gave tickets to their family members,” said a BJP worker requesting anonymity.
The BJP worker further alleged that the ideology of the party is being compromised -- it has always opposed nepotism, but itself is practising it by giving tickets to the kin of top leaders in the state.
Another party worker believes that the BJP is run in a democratic way, but some mistakes are being made by state leaders, which the central leadership should be made aware of. If things are not corrected in time, the results may not be positive for the party, he said.
“Though party workers are not showing their anger in the open, the top leadership must be alert as it may cause backstabbing which may cost the party dearly,” said the worker.
Meanwhile, the JMM attacked the BJP over its list of candidates and posted on X, “About 35 candidates in the first list of BJP are those who have come from other parties. BJP workers have been carrying bags and flags throughout their lives and the party is giving tickets to the turncoats."