Outsiders revolt: BJP leaders warn of rebellion if non-locals get tickets

JIND: Internal turmoil has erupted within the BJP ahead of the Haryana assembly elections. Former finance minister Captain Abhimanyu is considering shifting from Narnaund to Barwala in Hisar district. Meanwhile, Ramkumar Gautam, JJP MLA from Narnaund, is seeking a BJP ticket from the Safidon segment in Jind district instead of his current assembly seat.

Additionally, former Sirsa BJP MP Sunita Duggal is eyeing a ticket from the Ratia segment in Fatehabad. However, local BJP leaders in all three constituencies have warned the party's top brass of adverse results and a strong revolt if tickets are given to outsiders.

Local units have submitted a memorandum to central and state leadership saying that the party should give tickets to locals else be ready to face defeat in these segments. They stated that BJP leaders have been working on ground for years and will not accept a new face or outsiders in their constituencies.

Safidon segment BJP unit in their letter which has been sent to many BJP senior leaders including chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana state president Mohan Lal Badoli, national president JP Nadda, union home minister Amit Shah saying that whenever the party has taken such steps, it has faced a defeat.

Making a statement on JJP MLA Ram Kumar Gautam who is angry with his party leadership and is seeking a ticket from Safidon on BJP ticket is an outsider. He had faced a humiliating defeat in 1991 as he got only 1500 votes at that time.

When present rajya sabha MP Ramchandar Jangra had contested election from this segment in 1987 faced a defeat despite the Tau Devi Lal’s wave in the state and independent MLA registered a victory. Karmbir Saini contested election in 2005 but lost. In 2014 Vandna Sharma, sister of late union minister Sushma Swaraj contested election from this segment on BJP ticket but lost. Same happened in 2019.

All these candidates lost election due to a tag of outsiders, therefore, party workers will not support the BJP candidate if party fielded any person who hails from another place, they added.

Similarly, local BJP unit of Barwala segment sought a ticket for local and warned to maintain distance from election if any outsider is fielded. Notably, captain Abhimanyu is seeking to shift from Narnaund to Barwala following a strong resentment among jat voters. Jat voters are the core voters in Narnaund constituency who are annoyed with the captain following his stance during farmers’ agitation.

Ratia local BJP unit too held a meeting amid the talks of giving ticket to Sunita Duggal and expressed their displeasure.