There is an ongoing uproar within the BJP over ticket distribution in connection with the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. In another rebellion, senior party leader Chandramohan Sharma announced his resignation from the party on Friday. Also, he threatened to contest the elections as an independent candidate. The BJP is facing discontent over ticket distribution in this Union Territory. Party leaders and workers are protesting in many districts of Jammu region. After this, the party has started compensating for the loss and has assigned the responsibility to many senior leaders, including Union ministers, to calm the situation and convince the dissidents.
‘Tavi Andolan’ convenor Chandramohan Sharma told reporters, “There is huge discontent and anger among party leaders and workers over the improper distribution of tickets. They are protesting to express their discontent. Being one of the most senior BJP leaders, I am resigning from the party along with others in grief over this.” He criticised the state party leadership for presenting the ticket distribution proposal in an inappropriate manner to the party high command.
‘People of Jammu East fully support us’
Chandramohan Sharma, a lawyer by profession, joined the party (then Jana Sangh) in the 1970s. He said, ‘We hope that the party leadership will accept my resignation. However, if it reconsiders its decision to change the candidate in Jammu East Assembly constituency, it is fine. Otherwise I will accept the call of the workers who want me to contest independently from the Jammu East seat.’ He said that the people of Jammu East region fully support us. They have worked together with us during the Tawi movement.’
Joined Jansangh and went to jail several times
Chandramohan Sharma said, ‘Now the time has come for the senior BJP leaders camping here to take a decision on this matter.’ He joined the Jan Sangh decades ago and went to jail several times as a BJP worker. He expressed regret over being ignored despite being a senior leader in the state unit of the party. Many senior BJP leaders including Union Minister GK Reddy, Jitendra Singh and National General Secretary Tarun Chugh are currently camping in Jammu. They are working to deal with the situation faced by the party in these elections.