Loud protests against the top leadership over denial of tickets to poll aspirants of the ruling BJP continued for the second day on Wednesday.
Irate supporters of a sitting BJP MLA assaulted a young person said to be a staff member of the party’s state office.
Even prominent BJP leader and ace shooter Jaspal Singh Rana is said to be upset with the party high command after his name did not figure on the first list of 48 candidates released on Monday night.
Unconfirmed reports suggest Rana might join the Congress.
Equally unhappy with the BJP high command is state cabinet minister Khajan Das, who is among the nine sitting legislators whose names did not figure on the first list.
Although the soft-spoken Das has not yet raised a banner of revolt, he has given clear hints he might do so. “I will contest the next assembly election, come what may,” he said. Speaking to a television channel, he indicated he might contest the next election as an independent candidate.
MLA Shailendra Rawat, who is believed to be unhappy over being replaced by chief minister BC Khanduri as a candidate, displayed the biggest show of strength by laying siege to the state BJP office with his 1,000-odd supporters.
{{/usCountry}}MLA Shailendra Rawat, who is believed to be unhappy over being replaced by chief minister BC Khanduri as a candidate, displayed the biggest show of strength by laying siege to the state BJP office with his 1,000-odd supporters.
{{/usCountry}}“It was such a huge show of strength that even our senior party leader was forced to assure him (Rawat) that she would take up his grievance with the party high command,” state BJP spokesperson Satish Lakhera told HT.