Ticket to leaders’ kin has BJP in a fix

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 2

The BJP is in a dilemma over shortlisting candidates from among senior party leaders and their relatives who have sought ticket to contest the Assembly elections.

Against the party ideology of not giving ticket to family members of leaders, the party high command has been approached from different quarters with names of close relations.

The Anandpur Sahib and Jalandhar West seats, at present occupied by Madan Mohan Mittal and Chunni Lal Bhagat, both of whom are above 75 years of age, are set to see new faces. Interestingly, sons of both ministers — Arvind Mittal and Mahinder Bhagat — are in the race fo ticket.

In Ludhiana East, from where senior leader Sat Pal Gosain had lost the election last time, the name of his grandson Amit Gosain’s is doing the rounds.

Sources said in Rajpura, Tarun Khurana, son of former MLA Raj Khurana who died recently, could not be ignored because of his work and support on ground. They said the party was earlier considering Dasuya MLA Sukhjit Kaur Sahi’s son as a replacement there.

The names of a few young faces for Abohar where contestant Vijayluxmi Bhadoo had lost her security deposit are being considered. Kunal Bhadoo, son of Vijayluxmi, and Sandeep Rinwa, son of former state president Prof Brij Lal Rinwa, are in the race.

A senior party leader, requesting anonymity, said: “As our leadership mocks at Congress leaders for promoting their family members, our own party should not indulge in similar practices.” Another leader said: “I think when we are supporting the SAD where the Badal family alone is dominant, there is nothing wrong in our leaders seeking ticket for their kin.”