Why BJP leaders skipped campaign, Modi’s rally?

JAMMU: Many senior BJP leaders including former ministers, MLAs and MLCs didn’t campaign for the party in Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency, represented by the union minister Dr Jitendera Singh, thus raising questions about infighting within the party.

The polling for Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency will be held tomorrow.

After the election of Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat on April 11, the party had assigned duties to all its senior leaders including the former ministers, MLAs and MLCs to campaign in Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency by holding meetings, nukkad meetings and door to door campaigning but many of these leaders didn’t turn up for campaigning.

“Although, some did pay a visit but that was not beyond just a formality,” party insiders told The News Now. Some of them didn’t pay even a single visit to campaign for the party, they said.

“The party had assigned duties to the former ministers and the MLAs to campaign in Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency and reach out to the people and make them aware about party’s programmes and achievements of the central government,” former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta told The News Now, while adding, “The duties were assigned to the former ministers and the MLAs in different assembly segments depending upon the local factors and constituency profile”.

It may be mentioned here Prime Minister’s rally at Kathua, a couple of days back, was also not attended by many senior leaders, former ministers and former MLAs of the party.

Former BJP state president Sat Sharma, former minister Sham Chowdhary, former minister Bali Bhagat, former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta, former MLA Rajeev Sharma, former minister Pawan Gupta, who recently joined BJP, former MLA Krishan Bhagat, former minister AG Kohli, former minister Chander Prakash Ganga, former minister Devender Manyal are the prominent leaders who did not attend PM’s rally at Kathua.

“Those who did not attend the PM’s rally were not invited,” BJP state general secretary, Yudvir Sethi told The News Now.

It may be mentioned that Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency is represented union minister Dr Jitendera Singh. This constituency is already poised for a close contest after former BJP minister, now a rebel, and former minister and senior NPP leader have also entered the fray.

The contest could be very close as PDP has not fielded its candidate in support of the Congress, which is already in alliance with NC. In 2014, Dr Jitendera defeated former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad by a little over 60,000 votes.
Updated On 4/18/2019 12:23:45 PM