BDC poll: BJP acts against rebels, expels 20 leaders

Dinesh Manhotra
Tribune News Service
Jammu, October 17

A week before the Block Development Council (BDC) elections, the BJP leadership on Friday expelled over 20 leaders from the party for indulging in “anti-party activities”. These leaders are contesting the BDC elections as rebels against official nominees of the party, especially in the Jammu province.

Although over 50 prominent activists and close relatives of senior leaders are contesting as rebels, the party has taken action against 20 to give a message to the remaining lot. The BJP this afternoon expelled district vice-president of the Scheduled Caste Morcha Manohar Lal contesting as rebel on the Bhalwal BDC seat against official party nominee. Prominent among others expelled from the party included Madan Lal, Bodh Raj Singh, Abha Jamwal, Neelam Sharma, Karan Kumar, Manohar Lal, Jasbir Singh and Fateh Chand.  “Taking strong note of the filing of nominations as Independents by party leaders against the official candidates of the BJP for the election to Block Development Councils (BDCs), the state BJP has expelled some leaders for anti-party activities,” a party handout stated.

The Tribune had reported that a “helpless” BJP was finding it difficult to take action against the party leaders contesting the BDC elections as rebels against the official nominees of the party due to the “patronage” of some senior leaders, including ex-MLAs.

A day after The Tribune’s story, the BJP leadership expelled some of the rebels from the primary membership of the party.

Sources in the party told The Tribune that some official candidates had warned to bring the matter to the notice of the high command to expose senior leaders who had been encouraging factionalism by patronising rebels.

“It was all due to the threat of official candidates that the party leadership was forced to take action against some rebels,” a source said, adding, “The failure of the party to take timely action against the rebels is likely to prove disastrous for the BJP in the BDC elections”.

A senior BJP leader revealed that the party high command was already aware of the “indecisiveness” of the “weak” state leadership in taking action against the “influential” rebel candidates.