The voices of protest over ticket distribution may cost the BJP heavily in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections as party workers have started predicting a repeat of 2008 results if the dissent is not addressed in time.
The most problematic seats are those where the candidates, who lost in last assembly elections, have been fielded or some faceless candidates have been para-dropped.
The most problematic region in terms of number is trans-Yamuna area from where the party is likely to lose around half a dozen seats due to dissatisfaction among cadres coupled with weak candidates.
The dissent is being led by mayor Azad Singh who has offered his resignation to party’s national president Rajnath Singh. ‘I have called a Mahapanchayat (general meeting) of villagers on Sunday to decide my political fate,’ Singh told Millennium Post. Singh did not rule out the possibility to contesting as an independent candidate or joining another party.
He was seeking a ticket from Mundka assembly seat but the party has fielded sitting MLA Manoj Shoukeen, while Singh’s nephew Pravesh Verma son of former chief minister Sahib Singh Verma, has been give ticket from Mehrauli. Verma is also facing opposition from south Delhi’s mayor Sarita Choudhary, whose supporters have openly called Verma an outsider.
‘The party has fielded over half a dozen such candidates, who are no match to Congress stalwarts. Their defeat is guaranteed,’ said a senior BJP functionary in east Delhi. ‘Among the 10 assembly seats falling in east Delhi parliamentary constituency, BJP could hardly manage 2-3 seats but the number will be around 4-5 seats in north-east region,’ he added.
The severest opposition is likely to come from sitting councillors, who were advertising themselves as ‘potential MLA’ in hoardings and banners, but were completely neglected in ticket distribution. Sitting MLA HS Balli who has been denied ticket from Hari Nagar has resigned and refused to meet Nitin Gadkari over the issue.
Meanwhile, sources in the party said that the names of candidates on some disputed seats from where the party workers are alleging that weak candidates have been fielded are being reconsidered.
‘Nitin Gadkari called up Arun Jaitley on Friday and said that the situation is out of his control and they must come forward to quell the rival voices,’ claimed a senior party worker. According to sources, over half a dozen party workers have resigned from their posts.
‘I am confident that we will be able to persuade the Azad Singh and HS Balli to take back their resignations,’ said Vijay Goel, city BJP president.