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Bihar assembly election: Cong leaders from Jehanabad protest over ticket allocation
Contrary to convention, the party functionaries kept the entire process of selection of candidates to distribution of the tickets under wraps, fearing backlash
Enraged over alleged irregularities in the allocation of seats to allies and award of tickets to “tainted and misfit leaders” for Bihar assembly election, Congress leaders and workers from Jehanabad district locked the main gate of the headquarters of Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday.
Contrary to convention, the party functionaries kept the entire process of selection of candidates to distribution of the tickets under wraps, fearing backlash. The list of candidates was declared barely 25-26 hours before the expiry of the nomination filing.
“A new convention has been laid... to delay the official declaration of candidates, which was usually done three-four days in advance. Selected candidates were asked privately to collect tickets...,” said a former lawmaker.
Protests over nominations have been reported outside Congress offices. “Leaders facing charges of forgery ...rape... murder, kidnapping, etc... turncoats and greenhorns have been offered tickets in the first phase under a design to further weaken the party,” said a former Bihar Congress chief.
The Congress headquarters wore a deserted look as senior leaders avoided going there for one week.
State Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha and Bihar in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil could not be contacted for their comments.
In 2010, disgruntled leaders locked the office and performed the symbolic last rites of the then state party chief, Chaudhary Mehboob Ali Kaiser, and Congress Legislative Party leader Ashok Kumar to protest against irregularities in ticket distribution.
