Rebel and disgruntled BJP leaders hold panchayats in Rohtak, Rewari

After denial of the party ticket, disgruntled and rebel BJP leaders on Sunday organised panchayats and meetings with their supporters at various places in Rohtak and Rewari districts to weigh their options before them regarding the Assembly poll.

Shamsher Kharkara, who contested two previous elections from Meham as the BJP nominee, flagged the issue of him being ‘ignored’ by the party at a panchayat held at Behlba village in Rohtak district on Sunday. “My native Kharkara and Behlba are big villages in the Meham constituency hence I have urged the villagers to be united in the Assembly poll for the betterment of the area. Today, we discussed the emerging political scenario in the constituency. Another panchayat will be held tomorrow to reach a final decision,” Shamsher told The Tribune.

Anil of Behlba village said, “Our village daughter Prof Geeta Rathi is vying for the Congress ticket hence we all are waiting for the announcement of the Congress nominee before taking any decision regarding the Assembly poll. We will go with Geeta if she gets the Congress ticket, otherwise will support any other candidate.”

In Rewari district, former minister Vikram Singh Yadav organised a panchayat in Kosli town, former Zila Parishad Chairperson Satish Yadav in Rewari city and Prashant Sunny Yadav in his native Budhpur village.

Satish and Prashant announced that they would contest the polls as Independent candidates while Vikram said he would decide the next course of action in a couple of days. Vikram was vying for the ticket from Kosli where the BJP has fielded Anil Dahina. Similarly, Satish and Prashant were the ticket aspirants from Rewari where the BJP has pitted Kosli MLA Laxman Yadav. Satish has so far contested two Assembly poll unsuccessfully but both times he secured a considerable number of votes while Prashad tried his fortune in previous elections in 2019 and polled 22,104 votes.

“Today’s meeting was aimed at discussing the options regarding the Assembly poll. My supporters have asked me to contest the elections so I will file my nomination papers,” said Satish while interacting with the media after the meeting.

Satish Khola, another disgruntled BJP leader, also announced that he would try his fortune in the poll as an Independent but MLA Laxman Yadav tried to pacify him.