Protest At BJP's Rajasthan Office Over Poll Tickets, 4 Suspended

Supporters of BJP dissidents allegedly damaged furniture in the party's Rajsamand district office and burnt election campaign-related material on the road along with tyres to protest against ticket distribution for the upcoming assembly elections. The police said no case has been registered in this connection yet. They were allegedly protesting against the candidature of Deepti Maheshwari.

Soon after the incident, the BJP's state disciplinary committee suspended four members from the primary membership of the party on charges of indiscipline for damaging property and violent protests.

According to a letter issued by the committee's chairman, Omkar Singh Lakhawat, the Rajsamand district president, Ajay Prajapat, Devi Lal Jatiya, Himmat Kumawat and Mukesh Sharma have been suspended.

After the party released its second list of candidates, supporters of dissident leaders also protested in Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Kota, Jaipur, Alwar, and Bundi, and burnt effigies. Similar protests were witnessed when the party released its first list of candidates.

In Rajsamand, three local BJP contenders Dinesh Badala, Ganesh Paliwal and Mahendra Kothari reached the party office with supporters in the morning. The supporters allegedly raised slogans of "Deepti Maheshwari Murdabad" and damaged furniture at the party office.

A purported video of supporters picking up chairs and throwing them at the party office in Rajsamand has gone viral.

Rajsamand DSP Parth Sharma said no case has been registered in this connection and the people have been pacified.

Deputy Mayor Paras Singhvi, a contender for the ticket from Udaipur, also protested after he was not denied candidature. He accused former MLA and present Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria of interfering in Udaipur politics. 

Paras Singhvi further warned that if the party did not change its decision, it would have to face "serious consequences." Supporters of BJP's sitting MLA Chandrabhan Singh Akya demonstrated once again on Sunday after the party denied him a ticket from the Chittorgarh seat. 

They allegedly burnt the effigy of the party's state president, CP Joshi, and demanded the party to reconsider its decision and field a local candidate.

Mr Akya had accused Joshi of settling old grudges against him. Mr Akya represented the seat twice in 2013 and 2018.

The party has decided to field Narpat Singh Rajvi, former vice president and five-time MLA Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's son-in-law, from the Chittorgarh seat. The party did not give him a ticket from his current Vidyadhar Nagar seat in its first list and replaced him with the BJP MP from Rajsamand and erstwhile Jaipur royal family member Diya Kumari.

"The decisions are taken collectively and not taken by any individual. I can say that there is an excitement among the people and faith in the BJP with the kind of list of candidates has come out," Mr Joshi told reporters.

When asked whether the resentment would be resolved, Joshi said everyone would work together as they are part of the family.

Leader of the Opposition Rajendra Rathore said all decisions are taken collectively and the party's state president has not settled old grudges against anyone.

"This is the decision of the high command. Efforts have been made to talk to the MLA (Chandrabhan Singh) and to make him understand. He will understand," Rathore said.

In Jaipur, sitting BJP MLA Ashok Lahoti's supporters protested outside the party office and burnt tyres after a ticket was given to the party's state general secretary Bhajanlal Sharma in his place. Supporters said that outsiders would not be tolerated in the area under any circumstances.

In Kota South, supporters of Vikas Sharma demonstrated at the Talwandi intersection and allegedly raised slogans against Sandeep Sharma's candidature from the seat.

Similarly, in Alwar, after Sanjay Sharma got a ticket, his supporters allegedly protested against him and shouted slogans and burnt effigies.

In Bundi, a protest was held against the candidature of BJP's Ashok Dogra demanding a ticket to a fresh face. He has represented the seat thrice.

There are a total of 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan, and till now BJP has fielded candidates for a total of 124 seats. The party had announced 41 names in the first list. After the first list, several BJP leaders who were denied a party ticket had expressed their resentment.

Voting for all seats in the state will be held on November 25, while counting of votes will take place on December 3.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)