Hindustan Times (Patiala)

Barala missing from BJP posters

In wake of his son Vikas Barala’s arrest in stalking case, BJP chief’s pictures are missing from posters, banners put up in Gurgaon for upcoming visit of Union minister Nitin Gadkari

- GRITTY FIGHTER IndoAsian News Service letterschd@hindustnti­mes.com

:After state BJP chief Subhash Barala’s son was arrested in Chandigarh for allegedly stalking the daughter of a senior IAS officer, the party chief’s pictures were missing from posters and banners put up across Gurugram for the upcoming visit of Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

Minister for road transport and highways and shipping Gadkari will be in Gurugram on August 14 to lay the foundation stone for several developmen­t projects in the city worth over Rs 2,500 crore.

While the photos of all senior leaders of the party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, state cabinet Minister Rao Narbir Singh, three legislator­s and the district president were displayed, Barala’s photo was missing from the banners.

BJP leaders said there are two camps active within the party after the stalking incident -- one camp wants Barala to remain state chief while the other believes that Barala must resign on moral grounds.

Varnika Kundu, 29, daughter of Haryana aIAS officer VS Kundu, had complained to police that the two accused -- Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar -- had stalked and intimidate­d her and tried to abduct her on August 4-5 night.

“Demand for Barala’s resig- nation was not fair till the final findings of police investigat­ion come out. There may be any conspiracy behind it to politicall­y damage Barala,” said BJP leader RS Dahiya.

“Posters and banners are being put up by party leaders and workers. It may be someone’s personal thinking, but the party has not issued any instructio­ns officially. Photo of union minister of state and Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh was also missing,” a party legislator, who did not wish to be named, told IANS.

“Posters and banners installed by leaders holding party posts have put up Barala’s photo but some posters put by government department does not have party chief’s photo. We will look into the issue,” BJP district chief Bhupinder Chauhan told IANS.

The BJP chief remained unavailabl­e for comment.

Posters and banners are being put up by party leaders and workers. It (keeping Barala out of them) may be someone’s personal thinking, but the party has not issued any instructio­ns officially. A BJP MLA

 ?? FILE PHOTO ?? BJP leaders say a camp active within the party believes that Barala must resign on moral grounds.
FILE PHOTO BJP leaders say a camp active within the party believes that Barala must resign on moral grounds.

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