Dozens of supporters of ex-MlA Domendra Bhendiya on Wednesday staged a boisterous demonstration and shouted slogans outside the residence of leader of opposition Ravindra Choubey and the Congress Bhawan, demanding ticket to Domendra Bhendiya from Dondilohara assembly constituency, in place of Anila Bhendiya. They said they would not cooperate in any election work, if Domendra were not given ticket.
leader of the opposition Ravindra Choubey tried to pacify them, but they were not ready to hear him. The supporters of the ex-MlA Bhendiya reached Raipur on Wednesday morning in separate vehicles and demonstrated and shouted slogan outside the residence of Choubey.
District Congress spokesperson Rattiram Kosma, Nagar Panchayat president lal Bhupendra Singh, Shiv Soni, Chinta Kashyap, Vikas Choudhary, Hansmukh Das of traders’ cell, Sevadal district president Santosh Pandey, Abhay Singh, Shabbir Khan and Krishna Dubey were prominent among the demonstrators.
The demonstrators said that ex-MlA Domendra Bhendiya was the strong claimant of Congress ticket from their area, but the party has given ticket to Anila Bhendiya, which has angered the party workers. They said that they had discussed the issue with the leader of the opposition Ravindra Choubey, but he categorically denied to change the candidate and advised them to work in tandem with the party’s official candidate.
On the other hand, Choubey discussed with ex-MlA Domendra Bhendiya on telephone about the demonstration of the supporters of the latter and advised him to cooperate with the party candidate.
Congress candidate from Dondilohara Anila Bhendiya said that she should would truthfully discharge the responsibility given to her by the party. Party workers of the area are with her and they have been engaged in the election campaign and not bothered about any demonstration or opposition. She said that there may be some opposition, but it would not make any difference. Her officer husband and family members encourage her and all of them are engaged in public contact, she added.