Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Aug 21: The rebel leaders in BJP’s Kathua Unit today warned to resign and field an independent candidate against the party nominee after the senior leaders from Punjab failed to convince the rival group to leave its rigid stand and work for the Party.
According to sources, Party had deputed three senior leaders from neighboring Punjab to hold parlays with rebels in Kathua Unit and convince them to work for the success of Party candidate, Rajiv Jasrotia but the rebels turned down the request and warned to field an independent candidate and resign from the party as it failed to respect their feelings and sentiments.
The three leaders from Punjab who held parlays with rebel group included Minister of Urban Development, Punjab, Anil Joshi, MLA Jallandhar K B Bhandari and Rakesh Gupta general secretary of Punjab BJP.
Sources said the rebels informed the leaders that they are not familiar with the situation in J&K and the local leadership of State has failed to meet them so far and hold dialogue with them on the issue though they had given a memorandum to State president of the Party, Jugal Kishore Sharma two months back demanding that no outsider be fielded as Party candidate from Kathua in Assembly elections. But not respecting their sentiments, the Party fielded the outsider candidate forcing them to protest, the rebels added.
They made it clear to the Party leaders that in case their demand is not conceded they will resign from the party and field an independent candidate. However the Party leaders from Punjab too made it clear to the dissidents that the decision regarding the fielding of the candidate was taken by Party High Command which can’t be revoked now.
The rebels who attended the meeting included Gopal Mahajan, Sain Dass, Raghunandan Singh, Narinder Singh, Janak Bharti and Prem Dogra. They informed the senior leaders from Punjab that they are adamant on their decision also and will quit the Party.
However, a Party spokesman said that Party will again hold parlays with the rebels and try to convince them. In case they failed to toe the Party line then they will be shown the door as there is no place for indiscipline in the Party.
He said the Party has taken a tough stand against the rebels and one of the senior leaders from Udhampur was expelled today and the talks are on with other rebel candidates. In case they toe the Party line and support the official candidates well and good and in case they don’t withdraw from poll fray they will be also be expelled, he added.
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