In a significant development within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jammu and Kashmir, senior party leader Chander Mohan Sharma announced his resignation on Friday, expressing deep dissatisfaction with the party’s ticket distribution process for the upcoming assembly elections. Sharma, a veteran member of the BJP and the convenor of the ‘Tawi Andolan,’ also threatened to contest the elections as an Independent candidate if the party did not reconsider its decision regarding the Jammu East assembly segment.
Sharma’s resignation marks yet another instance of rebellion within the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, as the party grapples with widespread resentment over how tickets have been allocated. Party leaders and workers have been vocal in their protests across several districts in the Jammu region, leading the BJP to initiate a damage control exercise. In response to the growing unrest, the party has deployed top leaders, including Union ministers G K Reddy and Jitendra Singh, as well as national general secretary Tarun Chugh, to manage the situation and restore order.
Addressing the media, Sharma expressed his dismay over the “unfair distribution of mandates” within the party. “There is immense resentment and anger among leaders and workers of the party over the unfair distribution of mandates. They are holding protests to express their discontent. Saddened by this, I, one of the senior-most leaders of the BJP, along with others, have resigned from the party,” he said.
Sharma, who has been associated with the BJP since the early 1970s, criticized the party’s leadership in Jammu and Kashmir for what he perceived as a failure to properly present the proposals for mandates to the party’s high command. “We hope the party leadership accepts my resignation. However, if they reconsider their decision on the mandate change in the Jammu East assembly segment, it is okay. Otherwise, I will accept the calls from workers who want me to contest independently from the Jammu East seat,” he added.
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He further emphasized the strong support he enjoys from the people of the Jammu East segment, citing their involvement in the Tawi Andolan movement as evidence of their backing. “The people of the Jammu East segment fully support us, having worked closely with us during the Tawi Andolan movement,” Sharma stated. He also called on the senior BJP leaders currently stationed in Jammu to make a decisive move regarding this issue.
The discontent within the party has not been limited to Jammu East. BJP leaders from other constituencies, including Jammu North, Paddar, Reasi, and Akhnoor, have also staged protests at the party’s headquarters and in their respective areas, further highlighting the extent of the internal discord.
The timing of these developments is particularly crucial as Jammu and Kashmir is set to hold assembly elections for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The BJP’s leadership is now tasked with addressing these internal challenges while ensuring a united front as the elections approach. The outcome of the party’s efforts to manage this crisis will be closely watched, as it could significantly impact the BJP’s performance in the Union Territory.
