Chief Minister Raghubar Das today rejected reports that at least two of its incumbent party members, who have been denied rickets, are against the BJP. He said that none of the MPs are against the party and they will remain in the party like a devoted worker.
Answering to a question raised during his press conference here on Monday that two of BJP’s incumbent MPs, who have been denied tickets this election have been giving anti-party statements, the CM said that he has read the statements and the MPs are not against the party, rather they are devoted workers of the party.
“No MP is against the party. Difference of opinions is natural for human beings. I have read the statements of Sri Ram Tahal Chaudhary and Dr Ravindra Kumar Rai. They are devoted workers of the party. They are in BJP today and will remain in the party,” said the CM.
Notably, four sitting MPs were denied tickets for 2019 Lok Sabha election including veteran leader Kariya Munda from Khunti constituency, Ram Tahal Chaudhary from Ranchi, Ravindra Kumar Rai from Koderma and Ravindra Kumar Pandey from Giridih. While Pandey and Munda accepted the party’s decision, Chaudhary and Rai were vocal against the party decision.
Chaudhary, a senior leader of the party, has announced that he will contest the election as an independent candidate from Ranchi and will file his nomination with 20,000 supporters on April 17, a day before last date for filling nominations. Election in Ranchi is scheduled on May 6.
The senior BJP leader, who had won Ranchi seat in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2014, was this time denied ticket as he had crossed 75 years of age. The BJP Election Committee had already indicated that leaders who have crossed 75 years age would not be given ticket and following the same formula the party had denied tickets to BJP patriarch LK Advani, BJP former president Murli Monohar Joshi, eight times Khuti MP Kariya Munda and others.
Replacing Chaudhary, the party had given ticket to political greenhorn and State Khadi Board Chairman Sanjay Seth.
Sources said that Chaudhary’s dissent can prove detrimental for BJP in Ranchi as he could influence Kurmi vote bank in State. Out of six Assembly constituencies falling under Ranchi parliamentary segment, in three Assembly segments—Ichagarh, Silli and Khijri, Kurmi vote bank plays a deciding factor. Also, from Ranchi the Congress has fielded veteran State Congress leader and former union minister Subodh Kant Sahay who is popular leader in State.