Rebellion has come out in the open in the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Party leaders and their supporters are face to face over ticket distribution in the upcoming assembly elections starting from September 18. Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina had to go to Katra to pacify Rohit Dubey and his supporters. Rohit Dubey’s supporters are angry over not being given a ticket. In fact, the BJP has fielded former MLA Baldev Raj Sharma instead of Rohit Dubey from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi assembly constituency. Dubey’s supporters also include Ritu Thakur, who have threatened to resign en masse from the BJP. Angry BJP workers raised slogans against the BJP and in favor of Rohit Dubey.
I swear in the name of Maa Vaishno Devi that I will not vote for BJP- Dubey’s supporters
They staged a sit-in protest at the main square of Katra town, demanding that the party high command should stick to Rohit Dubey’s name, else they will ensure the defeat of the BJP candidate (Baldev Raj Sharma) from the Vaishno Devi assembly constituency. One of Dubey’s supporters said, “We worked 24×7 for the organisation. The party first announced Rohit Dubey as its candidate from the Vaishno Devi constituency, but then replaced him with Baldev Raj Sharma. We swear in the name of Mata Vaishno Devi that we will not vote for the BJP and will ensure its defeat.”
However, BJP chief Ravinder Raina tried his best to pacify Dubey and his supporters. Talking to reporters in Katra, he said, “The BJP is a family that believes in the principle of nation first, party second and self last. I am meeting each of them.” Raina also met Rohit Dubey and assured him of a fresh look at the matter. Dubey later appealed to his supporters to postpone their protest.
Appeal to end the strike
Dubey said, “Everyone is disappointed with the party’s decision, but we should not forget that whatever we are today is all because of the organisation. The party president has called me to Jammu tomorrow. He has assured me to look into the issue and talk to the party high command. Till then I request all of you to end your protest.”
Political experts attributed Dubey’s replacement with former MLA Baldev Raj Sharma to his mass base in the Vaishno Devi constituency, including Bhomag. After delimitation in May 2022, the assembly constituency of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi has come into existence. It has just 56,000 voters and is considered one of the smallest assembly constituencies.
Congress leaders also in support of Dubey
“Even though Rohit Dubey has a strong base in Katra, he does not have much of a base in Bhomag,” said a local. Baldev Raj Sharma had won the assembly election from Reasi constituency in 2009 with the support of the BJP. Interestingly, former Congress minister from Reasi Jugal Kishore Sharma has expressed solidarity with Rohit Dubey after the BJP dropped his name from the list of candidates.
Sharma personally went to meet Dubey and expressed his condolences. Sharma told media persons that it would have been good if the BJP retained Dubey as he has worked a lot for the party. Sharma also indicated that after Dubey’s replacement, he may consider his options and contest as an independent from the Vaishno Devi assembly constituency. Meanwhile, people from various places thronged the BJP party headquarters and protested against their leaders not being given tickets to contest the elections.
