Rajasthan polls: BJP MLA Gyandev Ahuja resigns, will contest independently

Jaipur: Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) sitting MLA from Ramgarh constituency Gyandev Ahuja has decided to contest as an independent candidate after the party declined to give him ticket.

Ahuja resigned from the party's primary membership on Sunday. Today is the last day of nomination and withdrawal is on November 22. The state goes to polls on December 7 and counting is scheduled on December 11.

Ahuja told ANI that he resigned from the party in protest against the party's attitude. "I resigned from the primary membership of BJP in protest against its dictatorial attitude. I will contest as an Independent on issues such as Ram Janamabhoomi, cow protection, Hindutva, etc," said Ahuja.

In 2016, he made it to headlines after he claimed that "thousands of condoms were found in the Jawaharlal Nehru University".

Shifting loyalty in protest against not being given party ticket for the forthcoming assembly elections has been continuing in the BJP for quite sometime.

On Wednesday, former BJP legislator Habibur Rahaman Ashrafi Lamba joined the Congress party. Rahman had tendered his resignation on November 12 to state BJP chief Madan Lal Saini after he found his name missing in the party's first list.

The names were announced by Union Minister and party leader JP Nadda following a meeting of the BJP Central Election Committee. Earlier on Saturday, the BJP released the third list of eight candidates.