COURTESY HT FEB 4

Fearing backlash, many BJP leaders prefer to contest as Independents

BJP’s Bathinda president Vinod Kumar Binta (R) filing nomination paper as an Independent candidate from Bhucho Mandi municipal council. HT
Vishal Joshi, Gagandeep Jassowal, Harpreet Kaur

letterschd@hindustantimes.com

Bathinda/JALANDHAR/HOSHIARPUR : Apprehending a backlash from farmer unions, many Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leaders have filed nomination papers for the upcoming urban local body (ULB) polls in Punjab as independents. The last date for filing papers was Wednesday.

BJP’s Bathinda district president Vinod Kumar Binta is contesting as an Independent from Bhucho Mandi municipal council. Binta was accompanied by his close aides when he went to file papers.

“We want to avoid any conflict with farmer unions in the electoral battle. Farmer unions are opposing the BJP from holding any political or social programme, hence I am contesting as Independent,” he said.

Of the 22 urban local bodies in Doaba, comprising Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar districts, the saffron party has not been able to field candidates on all seats in 18 ULBs. BJP office-bearers, who are in-charge of polls, said the party has fielded all candidates in Nawanshahr (19 in 19 wards), Mukerian (15 in 15) and 49 in 50 wards of Hoshiarpur.

In Jalandhar district, the BJP has not fielded a single candidate in Kartarpur municipal council and two nagar panchayats of Lohian and Mehtapur. BJP in-charges of Lohian-Mehatpur, Sudarshan Sobti, and Amarjit Singh (Kartarpur)said, “Our candidates are contesting independently in both nagar panchayats. Our representatives have been threatened by the Congress and the SAD.”

Congress general secretary and Kartarpur improvement trust chairman, Rana Randhawa, rubbished these charges. “The BJP has lost ground in Punjab due to anti-farmer policies,” said Randhawa. Seeking anonymity, a senior BJP leader said candidates were reluctant due to farmer agitation, and most were contesting independently.

In Hoshiarpur district, where the party has a good grip on the ground, it has managed to field maximum candidates in four ULBs --- Hoshiarpur, Mukerian, Dasuya and Tanda.

In Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Poonam Manik, BJP district president, said the party found just six candidates for Rahon (13 wards) and three nominees in Banga municipal council where15 seats are up for grabs.

Rakesh Duggal, BJP’s Kapurthala district president, said they had fielded candidates in 38 wards out of 50. Senior BJP leader and former cabinet minister Manoranjan Kalia said there were a large number of wards in towns where party leaders were being threatened and prevented from filing nomination. “We are compiling the data and will take this up with appropriate authorities,” he claimed.

For Bathinda MC, the BJP has managed to field candidates only on 42 of 50 wards. The Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the AAP filed papers for all 50 seats.

‘BJP to expel Binta’

In-charge of Punjab affairs of BJP Dushyant Gautam said party’s Bathinda district chief Binta will be expelled for anti-party activities. “He crossed the party lines by contesting as an Independent. There will be a strict bar on him for rejoining the party for the next six years,” said Gautam, also the national general secretary of the party.