With revolt in the party against her candidature, it is not going to be a tough battle ahead for actor turned politician Kirron Kher from Chandigarh.
With internal dissensions and factionalism plaguing Chandigarh BJP, the actor faces a tough task to wrest Chandigarh’s seat from Congress in the ensuing polls. Addressing mediapersons on Tuesday, Kirron said, “I am not an outsider. I was born in Chandigarh. The party high command has given me a responsibility to win Chandigarh’s seat and I would work whole heartedly to accomplish party’s Mission 272 Plus.”
Putting a brave face after the protest against her took an ugly turn, Kirron said, she knows some party workers are not happy about her candidature. But, she will meet each and everyone and persuade them to support her. The protesters are a part of our party. Hitting back at Congress’ candidate and local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal for his outsider remarks against her, she said, “If I am an outsider, why local MP Bansal’s did not do any thing for Chandigarh. If I am an outsider, then an outsider will now show how to work as a Member Parliament.”
She added, “I have lived here, studied her and want to work for the development of the party. I am well aware about the city.” Kirron joined the BJP in 2009 and had also campaigned for the party in the civic body polls that was held in 2011 in the city. “I have campaigned for the party in Municipal polls in Chandigarh. At that time, I had held a number of public meetings and know about the grievances of city denizens.” Accompanying his wife, actor Anupam Kher said, “She will give a good fight to her opponents. She is a Punjabi lady and it’s her hometown.”
later in the evening, Kirron also held public meetings and met district presidents and other office bearers of the party in Chandigarh. She appealed to the party workers to work unitedly to ensure victory of party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. During her first meeting with the officer bearers of local party unit, she said, “The lok Sabha polls are less than a month away. So, the party should work hard to ensure party’s victory. The disgruntled party workers would be persuaded and will come along soon.”
The BJP had remained out of power for more than a decade in Chandigarh. And, Kirron faces an uphill task to detangle the loops and strengthen the ties in-between the party in view of crucial lok Sabha elections. Kirron would be facing four-time MP and Congress’ candidate Pawan Kumar Bansal and Aam Aadmi Party’s Gul Panag. Another woman candidate from Chandigarh is Bahujan Samaj Party’s candidate Jannat Jahan, who is also a municipal councillor here.
While both Kher and Panag would be trying their luck for the first time in the ballot fight, Bansal would contest seventh election from Chandigarh.Both the Bollywood beauties with Army background will also be fighting out the charge that they are ‘outsiders’ in Chandigarh. Kher’s candidature was announced by the party high command on Saturday and since then, there is a revolt in the city party unit.