Rebel headache for BJP in Shahdol, Tikamgarh & Mandla

BHOPAL: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had to bear the wrath of rebels during the assembly polls, is now staring at more dissent in the Lok Sabha seats reserved for SCs and STs. Some leaders and section of workers in some of these seats have aired their resentment after the first list of Lok Sabha candidates was released.

In Shahdol, a tribal-dominated constituency, BJP veteran and sitting MP Gyan Singh has threatened to contest as an independent candidate. Party workers in Mandla and Tikamgarh have also refused to support the official candidate. “I will file a nomination as an independent candidate and will stick to my commitment. The party has dropped my name without any prior discussion. My silence has been mistaken as my weakness,” Gyan Singh told reporters on Wednesday. The former minsiter was replaced by Himadri Singh, who recently switched sides from Congress to BJP. She was immediately awarded the candidature from Shadol Lok Sabha seat.

The tribal leader was joined by former MLA from Chandla (Tikamgarh), R D Prajapati, who has openly his announced opposition to party’s official candidate and union minister Virendra Kumar. “Party has given the slogan ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’. But, here this applies only to the sitting MP. Rest of the public is ignored,” he said.

Prajapati’s son Rajesh won the Chandla seat in the assembly elections by a margin of 1,200 votes. BJP will bite the dust in

Lok Sabha polls

even if the party decides to filed a a heavyweight from Tikamgarh, warned Prajapati.

In Mandla, BJP workers have opposed the candidature of Faggan Singh Kulaste, the sitting MP.

Despite the obvious discontent, the party claims to have pacified the rebels. However, sources said that the BJP has not initiated any talks to pacify the disgruntled leaders as the party is still in a dilemma over finalising the candidates from Indore, Bhopal, Vidisha, Guna and Ratlam seats. The party is waiting for the Congress to announce the names first, said sources.

“Names for prominent seats and party strongholds are yet to be finallised. The central leadership is likely announce the names anytime now,” said a senior state functionary.