After opposition from workers, BJP’s Ajrana surrenders ticket from Pehowa

Following continuous opposition from party workers, BJP Pehowa candidate Kawaljeet Singh Ajrana today surrendered his ticket. Jai Bhagwan Sharma (DD), who had been seeking party ticket from the Thanesar Assembly segment, has replaced him in Pehowa.

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Sikh brothers didn’t support me

I was getting support from public but my fellow party workers and Sikh brothers were not supporting me. I have worked for the Sikh community for the past 30 years. The community leaders talk about sending Sikhs to Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha, but when I brought the ticket, they started opposing me. So, with a heavy heart, I told the party high command that I will not contest the election — Kawaljeet Singh Ajrana, BJP

Ajrana’s wife Ravinder Kaur is the junior vice-president in Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (ad hoc). He had joined the party in July.

BJP workers had been opposing his candidature from Pehowa, saying he was as an outsider. However, like Ajrana, Jai Bhagwan also belongs to the Thanesar Assembly segment.

Kawaljeet Singh Ajrana is considered a close aide of BJP national secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa. He was given the ticket in place of sitting MLA Sandeep Singh. But, the party workers, including the Sikh community leaders, were not happy and were opposing his candidature.

“It was a matter of pride for me that the BJP showed faith in me and I was getting support from public but my fellow party workers and Sikh brothers were not supporting me. I have worked for the Sikh community for the past 30 years. The community leaders talk about sending Sikhs to Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha, but when I brought the ticket, they started opposing me. So, with a heavy heart, I told the party high command that I will not contest the election from Pehowa,” he said.

“Though the party leadership, including state president and Chief Minister, asked me to reconsider my decision, I have decided to return the ticket respecting the sentiments of people. The party has many good options. I will work for the party and support the candidate,” said Ajrana.

To a query, he said, “I tried to persuade every worker and leader who had been opposing me but to no avail. I had decided to file my nomination on Wednesday but after sensing the situation, I decided not to contest the elections.”

Recently, his old pictures of him celebrating his birthday with army officials in Pakistan had gone viral on social media.

Ajrana had to clarify that he and his wife were part of a delegation that went to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan on the occasion of Prakash Utsav of Guru Nanak Dev. “The delegation is welcomed by the senior government officials and leaders and dinner is also orgnaised. The Pakistan officials came to know about my birthday and they arranged a cake. Some miscreants are now using this picture to defame me,” Ajrana said.

The party has now fielded Jai Bhagwan Sharma (DD) from Pehowa Assembly seat. He was not happy with the party nominating Subhash Sudha Thanesar BJP candidate, so his candidature from Pehowa has also come as a relief for Sudha. Earlier, he had contested on the BJP ticket from Pehowa in 2014 and stood runner-up, and the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 on JJP ticket.

BJP state Chief Mohan Lal said, “The BJP gives importance to party organisation and if there is resentment at any level, the party will resolve the issue. Kawaljeet Ajrana has surrendered his ticket due to some issues and the party has replaced him with another good leader. Jai Bhagwan has contested earlier too on the party ticket. The party workers will support the candidate.”