Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 25: The BJP high command in New Delhi has reportedly knelt down before the whims and fancies of a local leader in district Kathua, where it had to change the names of candidates.
According to the list of the candidates for various wards issued by BJP for district Kathua, Nancy Gupta was the party candidate for ward number 4 and Gopal Mahajan was the candidate of party for ward number 5.
The list of the candidates was widely circulated by BJP media cell and same was published in various newspapers across the state with the names of Nancy Gupta and Gopal Mahajan.
Sources said that the names of the candidates for the said wards were not in consonance with the choice of a local BJP leader. "The local leader was given the responsibility to distribute the mandate and he gave the mandate of ward number 4 to Rekha Kumari and the mandate of ward number 5 to Bodh Raj Gupta", sources said.
The candidates who were given mandate by the local leader against the decision of the party high command filed their nomination papers whereas Nancy Gupta and Gopal Mahajan didn't file their nomination papers.
On being contacted, Mahajan said that he was party's Parwari from Basohli-Billawar constituency and was given mandate of 33 candidates of Basohli, Billawar constituencies.
"The party had given mandate to me from ward number 5 but someone changed the mandate to some other persons and it is not the fault of party but of a particular leader who changed the names", Mahajan said.
He said he had taken up the matter with the party high command and if found guilty the party high command would take action against the particular leader. "Being a loyal solider of the party, I would accept the decision of party high command", he said.
Sources said that Mahajan was a strong contender for the seat of Member of Legislative Assembly in 2014 elections from Kathua constituency but due to some unknown reasons, he did not get the mandate.
Moreover, Advocate Vikas Kant, whose wife was given mandate from ward number 4 said that the matter was taken up with the president. "Being a loyal solider of the party, he would accept party's decision and if some other person has done wrong in distribution of the mandate, party high command will punish him", Kant said.
Organizing Secretary of the BJP, Ashok Koul said that the mandate of ward number 4 and 5 was changed in favour of those who had filed the nomination papers.
Asked why same was not published in the newspapers, Koul said that mandate was personally given to the leaders and it was party decision to change the mandate. |
