After Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained the sitting MLA from Vaishali Nagar Vidyaratan Bhasin, on Tuesday, supporters of Rakesh Pandey, brother of BJP National General Secretary Saroj Pandey arrived from Bhilai and staged a demonstration before the ‘Ekatma Parisar’, BJP’s divisional office, in Raipur.
As per party insiders, Rakesh Pandey was tipped as BJP candidate for the Vaishali Nagar seat as he has been keeping the aspirations since long after his sister was elevated as party National General Secretary. But party instead retained the sitting MLA to contest polls.
Mithilesh Yadav, BJP’s Divisional General Secretary while addressing a press conference here alleged that Vidyaratan who had lost the Bhilai Municipal Corporation election as Mayor Candidate has been given the party ticket.
“Rakesh is a young leader and has been working in the region for long and taking care of the people has been denied the ticket,” he said.
BJP leader Chaggan Mundra could be seen pacifying the party workers but they were reluctant to hear him and finally they staged demonstration before the gate
of the office. The supporters were demanding to meet the State BJP President Dharamlal Kaushik or any other senior party leaders to hold discussion. They said that time for filing of nomination papers is still remaining, so the party can change the candidate.
Meanwhile, party sources said that in Ahiwara, Patan and Durg (Rural) seats also, the voices against the party’s decision on choice of candidates have started to emerge.
BJP’s Bhilai District President Saavla Ram Dahre along with 10 division party workers have also registered their protest against the party candidate Vidyaratan Bhasin.
They are also demanding to make Rakesh Pandey as the candidate. The party workers had reached the residence of Pandey and held discussion which continued till late at night.
In case the Ahiwara Assembly constituency candidate and BJP Bhilai District President Saavla Ram Dahre raise the rebellion, then party might change the candidate. Rudra Guru is Congress candidate while BSP candidate Shobharam Banjare is in election fray in Ahiwara.
