By L.S. Herdenia
BHOPAL: BJP always accuses Congress of “Parivarvad” but now it is the love of sons by several stalwarts of BJP that is the main hurdle causing delay in finalising tickets in some crucial constituencies. Incidentally they include people who have spent their whole lives in being loyal to the RSS. Topping the list is Babulal Gaur, who joined the RSS after refusing to join the business of his father about six decades ago. Gaur, a former chief minister, is seeking ticket for himself or for his daughter-in-law from Govindpura constituency from where he won consecutive ten times.
Another RSS loyalist Kailash Vijayvargiya, a former minister and now one of the national general secretaries of BJP, is seeking ticket for himself and his son from Indore. A decision is being delayed because Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan also wants ticket for her son. Mahajan family’s loyalty with the RSS is well-known. There are reports that Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar also wants his son to contest for the Vidhan Sabha. Tomar too is an RSS loyalist. Gaur, Vijayvargiya, Mahajan and Tomar argue that if sons of former chief minister Kailash Joshi, minister Gauri Shankar Shejwar and Harsh Singh can get party tickets why not their sons and daughter-in-laws.
Babular Mewra, an old RSS warhorse, has never worn any other colour except saffron since 1961, but is now forced to don blue as he has joined BSP after being denied ticket by the BJP, which gave the ticket to Sitaram, a Saharia tribal from the remote Vijaypur constituency in tribal-dominated Sheopur district.
Ashok Malhotra of Saharia Vikas Parishand, who was accorded minister of state status by the BJP as chairman of the parishad, is also contesting as an independent from the same seat. Congress has fielded Raminwas Rawat, the sitting MLA. Rawat is breathing easy now as his main rival BJP is plagued with rebellion.
Mewra, 73 has twice been an MLA from Vijaypur in 1986 and 1998. He says he has 35 kurtas and all of them are saffron in colour. “I wonder why Shivraj Singh Chouhan chose Sitaram Adivasi when he had lost two successive elections in 2008 and 2013. All the survey reports were against him as well” he said as he proceeded to Datia to perform puja.
Another rebel, Ashok Malhotra, who had recently mobilised the tribals of the region on the issue of education and development, said: “Sitaram is illiterate and can’t even read a name on his mobile phone screen. I decided to contest as an independent because tribals wanted me to do so” he explained. Sitaram, on the other hand, rubbishes all the allegations. “The party knows that I was the only winning candidate and decided to field me” he said.
In a bid to quell the discontent among aspirants during ticket distribution, BJP president Amit Shah has taken up the task of finalising names of the remaining candidates left out in the recently declared list of official contestants.
Sources said that apart from the most controversial nine seats of Indore district and two seats of Bhopal, Shah would also give nod to a total 27 seats in Morena, Bhind, Gwalior, Niwari, Chhatarpur, Panna, Narsigngpur and Ujjain districts.
According to a report from Jabalpur, BJP leader Avtar Singh has threatened to commit suicide if he is not given a ticket. He is angry the ticket has been given to a person whose reputation is that of an anti-social.
BJP and particularly chief minister Shiv Raj Singh Chouhan were shocked when his brother-in-law (wife Sadhna Singh’s brother) Sanjay Masani not only joined Congress but also succeeded in getting a party ticket.
Meanwhile reports say Sardar Sartaj Singh may be sponsored by the Congress. If it happens it may be a serious setback to the BJP.
In view of serious differences over ticket distribution there are reports that national vice-president and strategist Ramlal held a one-to-one meeting with Chouhan, Vijayavargiya and Sahasrabuddhe. The party is yet to decide on the remaining seats where Congress contestants had won during 2013 and have sway in the present situation.
The seats yet to be decided by BJP include Dimni, Ambah (SC), Bhind, Mehgaon, Dabra, Bhander, Niwari, Rajnagar, Pathariya, Panna, Amarpatan, Sinhawal, Badwara, Patan, Lokhandaun (ST), Tendukhera, Gadarwara, Seoni-Malwa, Shamshabad, Bhopal North, Govindpura, Shajapur, Kalapiapl, Sonkutch (SC), Rajpur (ST), Depalpur, Indore 1, Indore 2, Indore 3, Inodre 4, Inodre 5, Mhow, Rau, Sanver (SC), Mahidpur, Ghattiya (SC) and Garoth.
(IPA Service)
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