Delhi Elections: BJP faces protest over ticket distribution

PTI, Jan 12, 2025, 8:33 PM IST

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New Delhi: Resentment surfaced on Sunday over ticket distribution for Delhi Assembly polls in the BJP, with a protest held outside its Delhi unit office and angry outburst by the outgoing MLA from Karwal Nagar who was not included in the candidates list.

A group of protesters from Tughlakabad in South Delhi held a dharna at the gate of Delhi BJP office, demanding a change in the candidate from the constituency.

“Vikram Bidhuri Tum Sangharsh Karo; Modi Se Bair Nahi, Rohtas Teri Khair Nahi,” the protesters, including mostly youngsters, chanted as the party leaders tried to pacify them.

In the second list of BJP candidates for the polls declared on Saturday, Rohtas Bidhuri was fielded from the Tughlakabad seat.

In 2020 Assembly polls, Vikram Bidhuri who is a relative of senior party leader Ramesh Bidhuri, lost to AAP’s Sahiram by over 13,000 votes.

A similar protest was also held by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajaindar Yadav after the announcement of the first list of candidates earlier this month.

Mohan Singh Bisht, the seniormost BJP MLA in the outgoing Assembly elected five times from Karwal Nagar, openly expressed unhappiness over being denied the ticket to contest from his stronghold.

A senior party leader claimed he was pacified after a meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda.

Earlier in the day Bisht told PTI that the party’s decision to replace him with Kapil Mishra was “wrong” and its consequences will be visible after voting on February 5.

“You have challenged the ‘samaj’ (his Uttarakhandi community), not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri,” Bisht warned.

He also was ambivalent on whether he will remain in the BJP or not. The BJP legislator said he will open his cards on January 15, hinting he might file nomination papers from Karwal Nagar as an independent or after joining another party.

The last date for filing nomination papers for the Assembly polls is January 17.

The BJP fielded Kapil Mishra, a Hindutva hardliner, from Karwal Nagar in North East Delhi, which was rocked by massive communal violence just after the 2020 Assembly polls.

Bisht complained, “Those who work hard have no existence in the BJP while those who indulge in flattery are rewarded. The party has taken a decision and it will have its consequence on February 5 when it will be realise the value of ground-level workers .”

Sources in the party claimed that there was also “deep resentment” among the Delhi BJP’s Scheduled Castes Morcha leaders over being denied tickets from different constituencies including Madipur and Kondli.

A top Delhi BJP functionary stressed that there were a limited number of seats and a large number of aspirants, so it was natural that those who missed out would feel upset.

“The BJP is a disciplined party and its leaders understand this. Sooner or later, everyone will realise this and work for the victory of the party giving up their resentment,” he said.

The elections to 70 Assembly seats in Delhi are scheduled on February 5. Results will be out after the counting of votes on February 8.

The BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is making all-out efforts to return to power. In the 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls, the party was completely routed by the AAP, scraping through with just three and eight seats, respectively.