Chandigarh:
A day after BJP announced the candidature of actor Kirron Kher from the Chandigarh Lok Sabha constituency, a section of party activists today staged a protest demanding that she be replaced with a local leader as the party's nominee.
A group of party workers, reportedly owing allegiance to the local BJP unit, held protest and burnt a effigy of Ms Kher.
They demanded that the party's central leadership reviews its decision to field Ms Kher (58), wife of actor Anupam Kher, from Chandigarh.
They said the party should field any of the three local party leaders - Sanjay Tandon, Harmohan Dhawan and Satyapal Jain - who were top contenders for the seat.
Both Mr Dhawan and Mr Tandon said they would support the candidate nominated by the party, even as their supporters expressed resentment by staging protests.
Ms Kirron is expected to reach the city on March 18 from Mumbai.
Ms Kirron will be contesting against four-time MP Pawan Kumar Bansal of Congress. Also in the fray are former Miss India Gul Panag of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Jannat Jahan of BSP.
Meanwhile, Satya Pal Jain, a former MP and National Chairman of the BJP's committee on legal affairs and Election Commission issues appealed to all party workers to devote themselves in campaigning for Ms Kirron.
He said people want to see Narendra Modi as Prime Minister and this can be possible only if every worker of the party devotes himself towards ensuring the victory of the party nominee in each and every constituency.
He said today the question is not who is the candidate or who should or should not have got the ticket. The question is who is carrying the 'Lotus' (BJP poll symbol) in his hand.
Because the party high command has handed the 'Lotus' to Ms Kirron for Chandigarh seat, it is the duty of all workers to ensure her victory.
Mr Jain said as very less time is left for polling, party workers should fully devote themselves to defeat Congress and install a BJP-led NDA government headed by Mr Modi.