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Civic polls: Parties struggle to contain rebels as disgruntled ticket aspirants vent ire on social media
Many of the disgruntled ticket aspirants are launching scathing attacks against their former party on social media platforms.
LUCKNOW Ahead of the upcoming civic polls, political parties are not just dealing with their opponents but also several of their owns who are unhappy over not being given the opportunity to contest the local body elections. Several of these disgruntled party workers have even filed their nomination as an independent candidate and are ready to fight the candidate put forth by their former party.
To add insult to injury, many of the disgruntled ticket aspirants are launching scathing attacks against their former party on social media platforms. Some of them are even running a smear campaign against the candidates who have been given the poll ticket. In the wake of this trend, the high-command of several parties have asked their workers to not use social media as a platform to vent their ire.
One such disgruntled ticket aspirant is Dinesh Yadav, a former corporator from Samajwadi Party. When he was not given the party ticket this time, Yadav tweeted, “You can stab us in the back but not in our chest, everyone’s time changes, ours will also change.” Another such tweet was uploaded by Nandram Yadav, also a former SP corporator, saying, “You sold my 16 years of hard work for a few coins, Gomti Yadav and Vijay Yadav.”
Similarly, former BJP corporator from Dandiya Bazar, Akhilesh Giri, , said, “Ignoring my integrity and honesty, the ticket was given to an outsider.” In a similar vein, another former BJP corporator Amit Maurya said, “I have heard that those working in BJP are promoted. The party should answer why my ticket was cut. Didn’t i work? Tell who has done what work... Whether the party gives me a chance or not, the public will definitely give me a chance.”
Such tweets and Facebook posts on social media platforms are creating problems for official candidates. BJP’s Dilip Srivastava, who was a two-time corporator from Maithilisharan Gupta ward, says he will continue to fight for his place. For not getting a ticket, he directly blames the regional MLA and former minister of the party. Dilip says, “Everyone knows how much I have worked in the area but this candidate brought by BJP has a shady background. Now, I will try my best to win this seat and campaign on any platform, including the social media platform.”
Meanwhile, Sayyed Yawar Hussain Reshu, the former leader of opposition and five times corporator from Samajwadi Party, said, “At some places, the party candidates are facing problems from some disgruntled elements but the party leadership has appealed to all such party workers not to oppose party candidates on social media platforms or make such comments which could hurt chances of party.”
In a word of advice to such workers, Rajnish Gupta Bobby, who also contested Vidhan Sabha polls and a former corporator from Rakabganj, said, “Party leadership has warned such leaders and requested them not to work against party, we are trying to pacify everyone but they should not work against the candidates of the party, it’s the party which had given them the chance in the past and the party will give them better chances in the days to come.”
