Discontent brews in BJP over turn coats getting more seats

 Hyderabad: Resentment seems to be brewing in the BJP with the party leadership allocating a majority of the tickets to candidates with no roots in the larger saffron parivar. In some cases, they say tickets were given to those who joined the party a few days or weeks back. Of the 100 seats that the party has released so far, nearly 88 are those who joined from other parties.

A BJYM leader, who did not wish to be quoted, said, “We are asking for opportunities as we spent years working for the party, faced court cases and jails and had to be admitted in hospitals and are still hoping that we will get seats in the remaining 11 constituencies. Many cadres from the district level and state level are unhappy and are sending resignation letters to me. I am holding them back.”

They rue that even allotting seats, where chances of success are remote now, would have helped leaders in the long run. There are candidates who are monetarily resourceful in the BJYM and are ready to enter the fray. They had worked as they were assured they would get seats if they worked hard without lobbying by the then state party president Bandi Sanjay Kumar and national leaders like Tarun Chugh.

The youth wing, sources said, had suggested 10 names to the party top brass. “The TSPSC issue was highlighted by the youth wing and hence had to face cases. I have to attend court proceedings for 7 to 10 in a month,” a leader said, wishing to remain anonymous.

The BJYM had sought tickets from Mancherial, Khammam, Siddipet, Wyra, Jangaon, Wanaparthy among others.

Dileepa Chary, Nagarkurnool constituency in-charge, who had vented his displeasure at the prospect of allotting the seat to Jana Sena and held a dharna before the party office, is vocal in his criticism.

“We are holding a meeting on Thursday with local leaders. Despite repeated clarifications sought on the issue, I was told that the seat would not go to Jana Sena. I had sought clarification as I was spending money from my own pocket and holding party programmes,” he said.

Even now none has called me seeking our cooperation in helping the victory of the candidate from Jana Sena. I am surprised nobody has bothered to call me. I was arrested 50 times by the police for taking up party programmes, he said.

But many leaders in the party, however, accepted the party’s alliance with the Jana Sena in the larger and long-term interest of the party. “We will obey the decision of the party and work for the victory of Jana Sena candidates,” said Harish Reddy, who aspired to contest from Kukatpally.

The fact that Mumma Reddy Prem Kumar who is contesting from Kukatpally on the Jana Sena ticket had joined the party having worked in the BJP earlier seems to have worked to contain the damage in this instance.

In some instances like Kunche Venkata Ranga Kiran who sought a ticket from Kothagudem has been made Bhadradri Kothagudem BJP party president. The party is set to have promised nominated posts or even central level posts in the party to a few others.