Not accommodated on stage, miffed MLAs stay away from Panipat function

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 30

Feeling “slighted” at not being accommodated on the stage, three MLAs from Panipat including two from the ruling BJP, boycotted a function attended by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at the local Grain Market in Panipat today.

Indicating that all is not well between the RSS and the BJP in Panipat, BJP MLAs Mahipal Dhanda and Rohita Rewari and Independent MLA Ravinder Machhrouli, stayed away from the rally organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Tapriwas Vimukt Jaati (denotified tribes) Vikas Manch.

Sources said though the three went to receive Khattar at the helipad, they did not show up at the rally venue to lodge their protest against being kept off the stage by the convenor of the rally, Rajesh Goyal, an RSS member.

The programme was attended by Karnal MP Ashwini Chopra, state ministers — Capt Abhimanyu, Kavita Jain, Krishan Lal Panwar and Minister of State Krishan Bedi — besides, state vice president and in charge of Panipat affairs, Rajiv Jain, Panipat Mayor Subhash Verma.

While they shared the stage with Khattar, party insiders maintain that no seats were deliberately earmarked for the three local MLAs.

Sources said the MLAs were miffed about this since they had been mobilising support for the rally over the last fortnight in their respective constituencies. “Our supporters went to the programme which proved to be a success. They suggested that we should not go since we were being deliberately humiliated,” an MLA said.

In an offhand remark, one of the MLA even said the stage would not have “given way” had the organisers seated them along with all the guests. However, all of them were quick to justify other “pressing engagements” they had to attend to and that they had informed Khattar at the helipad itself.

While Rewri maintained she had a personal engagement, Machhrouli said the Himachal Pradesh Governor was visiting his constituency, therefore he could not attend the function.

The fact, however, remains that the three were not present at the Chief Minister’s function. Close aides of the MLAs maintained the Mayor was given a place on-stage despite having contested against the party candidate in the recent mayoral elections, but the claim of the MLAs was completely overlooked and ignored. Also, the convenor, they claimed, had opposed the MLAs during ticket-distribution in the October elections while pushing for his own candidates.

When contacted, rally convenor Rajesh Goyal said it was not a BJP programme where MLAs had to be accommodated on the stage. “This was a function of the community. Besides, I don’t think they boycotted the programme. They had their own prior commitments and the Himachal Governor was to visit Panipat, too,” he said.