BJP workers protest over ‘outsider tickets’ in IIOJK, force party chief to cut short speech
Jammu: The BJP’s internal discord in the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) chapter boiled over, as angry workers disrupted a speech by party president Ravinder Raina in Reasi district.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the protest was triggered by the party’s decision to replace local leader Rohit Dubey with, Baldev Raj Sharma, for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi seat, which is going to polls along with 25 other segments in the second phase on September 25.
Dubey, the district president of BJP for Reasi, was initially included in the party’s candidate list. However, he was abruptly removed in a revised list, sparking fury among his supporters. The situation escalated when Dubey’s backers staged a highway blockade outside the party office in Katra, demanding answers from the leadership.
Raina, who arrived to address the unrest, was met with a barrage of slogans and chants from disgruntled workers. Despite his attempt to rally the party’s unity by stressing the importance of the party’s mission, his speech was frequently interrupted. Frustrated by the lack of clear answers, Raina was forced to cut short his address amid growing unrest.
The discontent wasn’t confined to Reasi alone. In Jammu, protests continued as workers from the Chhamb constituency expressed their displeasure over the decision to field Rajeev Sharma, a former MLA, instead of a local candidate. They argued that the nomination of an “outsider” undermines local representation.
The IIOJK BJP faces mounting internal challenges with the first phase of elections just around the corner on September 18, and the final phase scheduled for October 1.
