A BJP leader in Rajasthan has resigned his membership to join the Shiv Sena, an ally of the saffron party at the Centre and in Maharashtra, and contest the December 7 assembly election on its ticket. He filed his nomination on Monday.
Shri Krishan Gupta, a prominent face in Alwar district, was in the race to get a BJP ticket to contest from Alwar (Urban) constituency. The BJP, which last week released its list of candidates for the region, has fielded Sanjay Sharma from the seat instead of sitting MLA Banwari Lal.
In a departure from tradition, the BJP fielded a non-Vaishya from Alwar city, which has a sizeable voting-age population from the community.
"The Vaishya community has been neglected at the time of ticket distribution. However, two Brahmins have been given tickets despite the community having fewer voters than Vaishyas in the district. Ticket has been given without considering surveys conducted by the party and other agencies," Gupta claimed to PTI and confirmed he has quit the BJP.
Rajasthan unit chief of the Shiv Sena, Raj Kumar Goyal, said Gupta has joined the party.
Goyal said all party members, including the candidate who was to contest the poll from Alwar, have consented to have Gupta, 62 and a chartered accountant by profession, as the Sena face in the constituency.
"We have submitted a list of 19 star campaigners to the election officials. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, youth wing president Aditya Thackeray and MP Sanjay Raut will come to Alwar to campaign for him," Goyal said.
The BJP has denied Gupta's allegation that the party neglected any community in ticket distribution.
"The BJP is a party of 36 communities (pluralistic). He is only seeing what he wants to see. The ticket has been given taking into consideration surveys and feedbacks from booth-level workers," BJP's Alwar unit chief Sanjay Narooka said.
Asked about accepting the resignation, he said when Gupta has joined another party it hardly mattered if or not the BJP accepts it.
Filing of nomination papers in Rajasthan started on November 12 and ended on November 19.
Rajasthan, which has 200 assembly constituencies, goes to polls on December 7 and the results will be out on December 11.
There are 11 assembly constituencies in Alwar district, including Alwar (Urban), Alwar (Rural - SC), Tijara, Kishangarh Bas and Mundawar.
The Shiv Sena has a comparatively tiny presence in Rajasthan. The party will contest on four assembly seats in Alwar district, including both Alwar Urban and rural seats.
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