BJP does a Cong, gives ticket to kin of leaders

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 19

The Uttarakhand BJP that has been criticising the Congress for its “dynastic” politics has made a beginning by nominating sons and relatives of entrenched leaders for the February 15 Assembly poll.

Sons, daughter and a nephew have already bagged the party ticket, while two wives of senior politicians are also being considered for the remaining six nominations.

The state BJP has given nominations to two sons of former Congress leaders, a daughter of a former Chief Minister and a nephew of a senior BJP leader.

Sanjeev Arya, whom the BJP has fielded from the Nainital reserved seat, is the son of former Congress leader Yashpal Arya. Ritu Khanduri is the daughter of Pauri Garhwal MP and former Chief Minister BC Khanduri. Saurabh Bahuguna, BJP candidate from Sitarganj, is the son of former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, and Vinod Kandari is the nephew of Matbar Singh Kandari, a senior BJP leader. His son is also a member of the BJP.

Rohit Shekhar, son of former Chief Minister ND Tiwari, who joined the BJP yesterday, is also being considered for the Bhimtal Assembly seat. Further, Ritu Khanduri and Saurabh Bahuguna are cousins.

Out of the 70 Assembly seats, ticket has been allotted to 64 candidates and allotment on six seats is still remaining. Now, at least two seats are likely to go in favour of wives of senior BJP leaders and one in favour of Rohit Shekhar.

Though the BJP has charted the same course as that of the Congress in the allotment of ticket, the Uttarakhand BJP leaders continue to deride the Congress and its “family politics”.

“In my view there is nothing wrong in giving ticket to candidates who are active in social or political life, even though their parents or other family members may be active in politics. Our party is dominated by a dynasty, as is the case with the Congress,” said Dr Devender Bhasin, Uttarakhand BJP media in-charge.

Interestingly, when Vijay Bahuguna left the Congress, he left in tow by his sons Saket Bahuguna and Saurabh Bahuguna.

The desertion of Congress by Yashpal Arya too was accomplished with his son Sanjeev Arya.

Earlier, when Matbar Singh Kandari left the BJP, his son Rajiv Kandari accompanied him and he again rejoined the BJP with his son. However, his nephew Vinod Kandari stayed put in the BJP and has now been given a ticket from Deoprayag.

Ticket allotment to relatives of senior leaders has sowed the seeds of rebellion as party workers are rallying behind the candidates whom the BJP has ignored to accommodate the relatives of senior leaders.