Rebels enter fray, party tries damage control

With the BJP axing tickets of 85 sitting MLAs in the first list for the assembly elections, several rebels entered the poll fray on Monday.

Cabinet minister Surendra Goyal and MLA Habib ur Rehman resigned from the party.

There were protests at the BJP headquarters in Jaipur by supporters of Bhagirath Choudhary, who was denied the party ticket from Kishangarh. Supporters of minister Rajkumar Rinwa also protested at the BJP office fearing that he could be denied ticket from Ratangarh, where the party is yet to declare its candidate.

Former Congress leader Abhinesh Maharishi joined the BJP in Delhi on Monday.

Maharishi is an influential leader from Churu. He contested on a Congress ticket in 2008 assembly elections and lost. Later, he contested on a BSP ticket in the 2014 general elections and lost. Maharishi could be fielded from Ratangarh or Sardarshahar seat.

Welcoming him into the party, Raje said he was a hard working leader and would strengthen the party.

On joining the party, Maharishi said he had been influenced by the leadership and development oriented policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah and chief minister Vasundhara Raje.

PHED minister Surendra Goyal, who was denied ticket from Jaitaran, has declared revolt against the party. He said he would contest as an independent and file his nomination on November 17.

Sitting BBP MLA Habib ur Rehman, who was refused ticket from Nagaur, said that he was planning to return to his parent party, Congress. Rehman had had joined the BJP in 2009 after being denied a ticket by the Congress. Banwari Singhal, who was denied ticket from Alwar City, told his supporters that he would support the Congress candidate.

The BJP also denied ticket to Nanalal Ahari from Udaipur and Anita Katara form Sagwada.

BJP state secretary Saroj Prajapat and BJP OBC Morcha Nagaur district president Rajaram Prajapat resigned from the party over apathy towards the Prajapat community.

The BJP was putting in place its damage control strategy. Senior party leaders were asked to get in touch with the MLAs and ministers, who were being dropped. Though the first list did not have too many surprises, the second list could see more sitting MLAs being dropped. BJP’s national vice president Om Mathur said the party leaders would talk to the upset aspirants and try to convince them.

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