Councillors blame Jha for rebellion

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 5 

Rebel Bharatiya Janata Party councillors said today that had the in-charge of the party affairs, Prabhat Jha, not humiliated them during the meeting and convinced them on Davesh Moudgil’s Mayor candidature, the rebellion could have been avoided.

“Most of us would not have had much problem with Moudgil’s name, but Jha took us for granted and insulted us in the meeting. He said we all were servants of Arun Sood. Such a treatment was unacceptable to us,” said a councillor, who was first among 14 who walked out of the UT guest house where a meeting was being held after party insisted on Moudgil’s nomination.

Another rebel said: “Someone like Moudgil, who has been issued three show-case notices by the party for indiscipline and been in favour of a company involved in a scam, was being nominated as the Mayor against the will of 14 councillors. Neither majority nor merit was in his favour.” 

“Instead of taking us in confidence, Jha lied that Asha Jaswal had pressured other councillors to give in writing against him,” he said.

However, Jha has denied these allegations saying it was not his personal but high command’s decision and he took viewpoint of all of them. Rebels accused him of presenting wrong picture with the connivance of two senior leaders of the city. Moudgil instead maintained that he has been a disciplined soldier of the party and never went against the BJP.