A group of members of the Bahujan Samaj Party members staged a protest on Tuesday outside the party office in Shivalik Nagar on the issue of distribution of party tickets for contesting the Vidhan Sabha election 2017.
A number of supporters of BSP leaders gathered outside the party office shouting slogans against the party state- in-charge Pardeep Jatav and senior leader of BSP Naseemuduin Siddiqui. The protesters alleged that some of the party candidates had been selected for party tickets on account of their money power. To add to the situation during the protest, the supporters of the rebel BSP legislator Hari Dass from Jhabreda Vidhan Sabha constituency also reached the state office of the party to meet state president BR Rao seeking the return of the amount of Rs 1.75 crore purportedly given for ensuring a party ticket for Hari Dass. Hari It will be recalled that Dass had recently left his party after the BSP had announced Bhagmal as its official candidate from Jhabreda Assembly constituency.
The supporters of BSP claimants from Bhagwanpur and Jwalapur Vidhan Sabha constituencies also started protesting for party tickets adding fuel to the political fire. They alleged that party candidates on Bhagwanpur and Jwalapur seats were being announced on the basis of their financial muscle. The BSP has announced Mulk Raj as the party candidate from Jwalpur assembly constituency while the candidacy finalisation for the Bhagwanpur seat is under process.
The legislator Hari Dass told The Pioneer that his supporters had collected money and had given around Rs 1.75 crore to state in-charge Pardeep Jatav who had promised the party ticket but BSP announced Bhagmal as a party candidate in the previous month which was a major setback to him. “My supporters were cheated and to vent out their fury, they are protesting. They have met with state president BR Rao and raised their demand to return the money. If BSP will not refund my money we would take the route to the court of law,” said Hari Dass.
On the other hand, the BSP State head B R Rao said that he had listened to the demands raised by the party leaders and their supporters and due response shall be given to them after consent with the party high command.