BJP’s damage control exercise in J&K after workers protest ticket allotment

Amid bickering in the party over ticket allocation for the Vaishno Devi assembly constituency, the Jammu and Kashmir BJP attempted to iron out differences between former MLA Baldev Raj Sharma and Reasi district unit chief Rohit Dubey on Wednesday night.
Dubey was the first choice of the party in its list of 44 candidates that was withdrawn. However, in the rescinded list of 29 candidates issued on Tuesday, the party named Sharma in place of Dubey, while all other names remained the same for the constituencies announced earlier.
Dubey’s ouster from the list of candidates angered his supporters in Katra. Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina rushed to Katra on Wednesday to soothe frayed nerves and placate Dubey as his supporters had blocked the highway outside the party office. “We know Dubey is a hardworking and dedicated member of the BJP whose family has been associated with the party for generations… we are in election mode and have to fight together with our party’s mission of nation first, party second and self last,” Raina said addressing the workers. His speech was frequently interrupted and he had to abandon it as the party workers stood up despite attempts by Dubey to pacify them. The workers removed the road blockade on the intervention of Dubey, who said the party’s decision had left the workers disappointed.
The BJP later issued a statement: “In a display of unity and strength of the organisation, Rohit Dubey visited the party headquarters in Jammu and posed with Baldev Raj, the BJP candidate from Mata Vaishno Devi assembly constituency, and other senior leaders of the party.”
Party national general secretary Tarun Chugh, who is also in-charge of J&K BJP affairs, Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh, MP Jugal Kishore Sharma and election management committee convener Sarb Singh Naag were among the leaders present along with Raina.
Chugh said: “The BJP is a disciplined party of ground-level workers who work like a family. Together we are strong. The BJP is set to make history in the assembly elections.”
Jammu and Kashmir goes to the polls in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi seat goes to the polls along with 25 other segments in the second phase on September 25.