Singh Demands Withdrawal of ‘Parachuted’ NC Candidate’s Nomination. Cautions BJP on Ignoring Grassroots Workers Ahead of J&K Polls
Avinash Azad
In a new challenge for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jammu and Kashmir, a district president and senior leader announced his resignation on Friday, hinting at a possible run as an Independent candidate in the upcoming assembly elections.
In a significant blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the poll-bound erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmira Singh, the party’s district president for Samba, has resigned from his basic membership after serving the party for 42 years. Singh’s resignation comes in protest against the party’s decision to field a candidate from the National Conference (NC) for the upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, another senior party leader Chander Mohan Sharma, the convenor of the ‘Tawi Andolan’, expressed his frustration, stating, “There is immense resentment and anger among leaders and workers of the party over the unfair distribution of mandates. They are holding protests to express their discontent.”
Advocate Sharma, who joined the BJP in the early 1970s, criticized the party’s leadership in Jammu and Kashmir for mishandling the candidate proposal process. “We hope the party leadership accepts my resignation. However, if they reconsider their decision on the mandate change in the Jammu East assembly segment, it is okay. Otherwise, I will accept the calls from workers who want me to contest independently from the Jammu East seat,” he declared.
Controversy Over Candidate Selection
The BJP’s decision to nominate Surjit Singh Salathia, a recent joinee from the National Conference, for the Samba assembly seat has sparked controversy within the party ranks. Kashmira Singh, in his resignation statement, expressed his dismay at the party’s choice: “The Samba assembly seat remained reserved for more than three decades.
Why has the party fielded a person of opposite ideology as the seat unreserved after delimitation? He remained in National Conference for four decades, recently joined our party, and got the ticket. We have no senior members here except me. The party has sacrificed its workers over a parachuted NC leader.”
Conditions for Withdrawal of Resignation
Singh has offered to withdraw his resignation under one condition: “I can withdraw my resignation if the party changes its decision of making Surjit Singh Salathia, an outsider, its candidate from Samba.” He emphasized his gratitude to the people of Samba and his commitment to strengthening the party.
Allegations of Favoring Wealthy Candidates
The veteran leader also raised concerns about the party’s candidate selection process, alleging that wealthy individuals were being favored over loyal party workers. “Party fielded Crorepatis as their candidates, loyal and hard workers sidelined over money,” Singh claimed. He stated that he would not accept even a Rajya Sabha post unless the party reconsiders its decision regarding Salathia’s candidacy.
Impact on BJP’s Electoral Prospects
Singh warned that the party’s strategy of ignoring grassroots workers could severely impact its electoral performance. “Party talks about 50 plus seats in Jammu and Kashmir, but ignoring party loyal and grassroot workers, it is difficult to touch double digits,” he cautioned. He also pointed out that accommodating “pro-Kashmir people” goes against the principles of BJP’s ideological founder, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
Decline in Party’s Vote Share
Referring to recent electoral trends, Singh noted, “In the recent Lok Sabha election, the party faced a decline in votes due to the presence of outsiders in the party.” He expressed his willingness to ensure victory for a BJP candidate if the party replaces Salathia with a candidate from its own cadre.
Unanswered Resignation
Singh revealed that he had sent his resignation to party president Ravinder Raina but has not received any response. The lack of communication from the party leadership has further fueled the controversy surrounding this high-profile resignation.
As the elections in Jammu and Kashmir draw closer, this internal strife within the BJP could potentially impact the party’s performance and strategy in the region. The resignation of a long-serving leader like Kashmira Singh raises questions about the party’s candidate selection process and its commitment to its grassroots workers. There is growing discontent among BJP workers over the selection of candidates perceived as “outsiders”.
Party leaders have previously opposed the nomination of Dr. Davinder Manyal, former MLA from Samba, as the candidate for Ramgarh. Similarly, Sham Lal Sharma’s selection as the candidate for Jammu North, despite being an ex-MLA from Akhnoor, has faced criticism. Rajiv Sharma, another former Akhnoor MLA, was chosen as the candidate for Chamb, which has also sparked discontent.
Additionally, the nomination of Baldev Raj Sharma as the candidate for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Assembly constituency has led to further dissatisfaction, with reports of minor revolts among party leaders over the selection process in other constituencies as well.
Party’s Damage Control Efforts
In response to the growing unrest, the BJP has initiated damage control measures, deploying several top leaders, including Union ministers, to defuse the situation. The effectiveness of these efforts remains to be seen as the party struggles to maintain unity ahead of the crucial assembly elections.
