Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate from Chandigarh lok Sabha seat, Kirron Kher met a hostile reception in the city on Tuesday with party workers hurling eggs at her car and waving black flags protesting against her candidature.
During her first visit to Chandigarh after the party announced her candidature, Kirron along with her husband actor Anupam Kher was greeted with black flags and sloganeering as her car made its way through the Chandigarh Airport to party office in Sector 33 here. Calling her an “outsider”, the disgruntled party workers shouted slogan “Kirron Kher go back” at Chandigarh Airport and later, at the part office.
Showing their disapproval against the party’s decision, the disgruntled workers also hurled eggs and created ruckus at the party office. Given the chaotic situation, Kirron had to cancel her meeting with party’s office bearers and was rushed back to her car to leave the party office. Her husband Anupam Kher had to dodge eggs to reach his car safely. Kher’s candidature was announced by the party high command on Saturday and since then, there is a revolt in the city party unit, also leading to resignations by some office bearers.
Rejecting the three local contenders, including Chandigarh party chief Sanjay Tandon, two former MPs Harmohan Dhawan and Satya Pal Jain, the party decided to field actor Kirron Kher to contest the ballot fight against Congress’ sitting MP Pawan Kumar Bansal and AAP’s Gul Panag. The infighting among the three local leaders had paved way for an outsider — Kirron, who got party’s ticket to try her luck for the first time in electoral bout.
While talking to The Pioneer, BJP Chandigarh president Sanjay Tandon said that some party workers are not happy with her candidature but will understand the situation soon. The party high command has decided to field her and the party leaders would support her, he said. Regarding Tuesday’s protest, he said, “Such protests are a normal phenomenon in political parties. The party workers have been directed not to repeat this behavior and support the party candidate to accomplish party’s Mission of 272 Plus.”
After the incident, in-charge for Chandigarh BJP affairs, Aarti Mehra returned to New Delhi on Tuesday evening. The local party leaders have also apprised the central leadership about the embarrassment faced by the party due to Tuesday’s protest. Some BJP workers were also rounded up by UT Police for allegedly throwing eggs at the actor.
Notably, several party leaders had rushed to Delhi on Sunday demanding re-consideration of party’s decision. A number of supporters of the local BJP unit chief Sanjay Tandon expressed support for the candidature of their leader and met Central party leaders. The local leaders had met party’s president Rajnath Singh and party’s in-charge for Chandigarh affairs, Aarti Mehra and had requested them to re-consider the decision on Chandigarh’s candidate.
The supporters of Harmohan Dhawan here had also burnt an effigy of Kher protesting against her candidature on Sunday. The senior party leader Harmohan Dhawan is not happy with the party’s decision and did not attend party’s meeting on Tuesday. Showing his dissent, he remained absent from party meeting and did not go to receive Kher at the airport along with other senior party leaders.
According to the sources, many party leaders are now waiting for another candidate list to be announced by BJP on March 19. In case, the name of a local candidate did not figure out in the place of Kher’s candidature, some leaders are also planning to shift their loyalties to other political parties ahead of crucial lok Sabha polls.