BJP secretary claims he was ignored, skips PM event

NEW DELHI: Alleging mistreatment, BJP national secretary and co-incharge of the party in the national capital, Tarun Chugh, did not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s  “Main Bhi Chowkidar” in Chandni Chowk constituency. As per the party plan, Mr Chugh was scheduled to join party chief Amit Shah, Union minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and Delhi BJP incharge Shyam Jaju at a banquet hall in Chandni Chowk constituency, but he did not turn up at the venue

A party insider said that Mr Chugh was unhappy as Delhi BJP did not consult him before fixing his programme.

A BJP office-bearer told this newspaper that Mr Chugh wished to attend the event at Talkatora Stadium. “Being state unit co-incharge, Mr Chugh was expecting that leaders would ask him where he wished to attend the event in the city. No one asked him in this regard. Mr Chugh came to know that he was supposed to attend the programme in Chandni Chowk with Mr Shah and others. Mr Chugh felt that the state unit humiliated him by not consulting or respecting his wishes,” he added.

A senior party functionary said that to register his displeasure, Mr Chugh absented himself from the meeting and watched the event on TV with some party workers at a location unknown to many. “Mr Chugh did not turn up at Chandni Chowk, but tweeted a picture with some workers watching the event in a room,” he added. Attempts to contact Mr Chugh proved futile.

Downplaying the development, Delhi BJP general secretary Rajesh Bhatia said that Mr Chugh might have been busy with some other engagements, that’s why he was not able to join others in Chandni Chowk. Mr Bhatia, however, refused to say anything about Mr Chugh’s tweet.

Several Delhi BJP office bearers, meanwhile, alleged that they did not get passes for the event. “People coordinating from the state to block level told many office bearers that district or block president had handed over passes for Talkatora Stadium. Several office bearers missed the event due to mismanagement,” he added.