‘Dissatisfied’ Uttarakhand BJP leaders take to social media to air grievance

DEHRADUN: After berating the rival Congress on social media, a number of BJP leaders and functionaries in Uttarakhand have now turned against their own leadership since the announcement of party tickets, and have taken to the public platform to air their grievances.
Some of them even alleged use of “money” power in the allotment of tickets.
Terming the move to give tickets to Congress rebels as well as sons, daughters or spouses of politicians as “against the party’s ethics”, the dissatisfied leaders posted numerous tweets tagging BJP chief Amit Shah and claiming that the seat allocation has “greatly demotivated” the party rank and file.
The BJP’s Dewal block chief in Chamoli district, Girish Chandra Mishra, has written a letter apprising BJP president Shah that all the members in the block were unhappy with the decision to give the BJP ticket to Maganlal Shah in Tharali constituency.
He said that at least 250 BJP members in the block have resigned from the party in protest against the move. They are seeking party ticket for Balbir Ghuniyal.
The dissent letter was shared on the social media requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah to think again.
BJP leader and the ticket aspirant from Tharali constituency, Balbir Ghuniyal, told TOI: “I am deeply hurt. And not just me, there is resentment in the entire Chamoli region. I have a long association with the party. But, I have been denied party ticket repeatedly.”
He also indicated that money was given to purchase ticket.
“The wife of the leader, who got the BJP ticket this time, is already holding the post of zila panchayat head. Just because of money power, he could bag the ticket,” Ghuniyal alleged.
“The only reason I could not get the ticket was because of my humble background,” he said.
Even on the other seats, like Purola, BJP leaders showed their dissent after the BJP’s list came out.
One of them tweeted: “Respected Amit Shah, in Uttarakhand, the wrong candidate on Purola seat has been given the ticket. The organisation and the people from the region are angry.”
Meanwhile, even chief minister Harish Rawat tweeted: “Uttarakhand ‘mein BJP ke neta saam, daam, dand, bhed se satta hathiyana chahhte hain’.”
He also tweeted: “All those who believe in the policies of Congress should come and be with Congress.”