JAIPUR : Withdrawal of nomination by an Independent candidate, a BJP rebel, for an Assembly byelection in Rajasthan has triggered controversy. Ladulal Pitalia withdrew his papers for the Sahara seat in Bhilwara district, alleging the BJP had pressured him to withdraw. Pitalia has written to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and sought protection for his family. In his letter, Ladulal has alleged that he is being “pressured” on account of his business interests in BJP-ruled Karnataka.
Pitalia has a garment business in that state and has accused the Karantaka government of threatening him and putting pressure on his family. Pitalia’s purported audio clips have also gone viral where he talks about the threats to withdraw his nomination. Pitalia was earlier with the BJP. After he was rejected as the party candidate, he wanted to contest the byelection as an independent. BJP sources said Pitalia’s name was on the panel of candidates but he was dropped on caste calculations.
An angry Pitalia filed his nomination as an independent on March 30, becoming a spoilsport for the official BJP candidate. The episode has triggered a verbal war between the BJP and the Congress. “The BJP puts up a lot of drama about morality, but look at how they have threatened and pressured Pitalia to withdraw,” remarked Govind Singh Dotasra, state Congress chief. The BJP, however, asserts there was no pressure on Pitalia. “He has withdrawn unconditionally,” said Satish Poonia, state BJP chief.