Resentment among BJP leaders

New Delhi: There is a strong resentment among the sitting BJP councillors and other senior party leaders after the saffron outfit’s Delhi unit head announced its decision to drop all the sitting councillors for the upcoming civic elections. The polls will be held on April 22.

The BJP is ruling the civic bodies for the last 10 years and facing huge anti-incumbency. The party leaders said that the decision to drop all the sitting councillors has been taken by the central leadership to defeat the anti-incumbency in the triangular contest.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari told this newspaper that the decision to deny ticket to all the 153 sitting councillors was first taken in the core committee and then in the meeting of the state office-bearers.

“We called all the sitting councillors in the morning and informed them about the party’s decision in which the majority have accepted the decision and only 20 per cent voiced their objection. They urged that central leadership should be contacted about the decision. I personally approached central leadership and conveyed their sentiment. Central leadership instructed that the decision should be followed in true spirit and there should not be any ‘pick and choose’ policy to adapt few of the councillors,” he said.

According to the sources, some of the senior councillors opposed the decision.
and said that it will adversely damage the electoral prospect of the party in the civic polls. “If there is allegation against one or few, then the party should have taken action against them by denying them ticket. Only the deserving sitting councillors must be given ticket,” said a sitting councillor.

Unhappy with the decision, some councillors are contemplating to contest independently or switch political affiliation. “I will discuss the party decision with my workers in the constituency to decide whether to contest the election independently or join other political parties,” said another councillor.

In a damage control measure, Mr Tiwari said that the bright and hard-working current councillors will be considered for ticket in next Assembly election or for some other responsibilities in the party organisation.