Gyan Dev Ahuja withdraws nomination\, returns to BJP fold as state vice-president


Gyan Dev Ahuja withdraws nomination, returns to BJP fold as state vice-president

Gyan Deo Ahuja

, DNA

MLA Gyan Deo Ahuja, who had filed nomination papers as independent candidate after being denied a ticket by BJP, has taken back his nomination. He has also returned to the party and was appointed BJP’s state vice-president.

Among the prominent leaders who withdrew their nominations include BJP dissident Gyan Deo Ahuja and Bhawani Singh Rajawat whereas in the Congress, Ramchandra Sardana also decided not to contest the polls following talks with senior party leaders. 

According to the chief electoral officer, 579 candidates have withdrawn their nominations and the figure is likely to be updated further.

Till November 19, 3,293 candidates had filed 4,285 nominations, of which 612 nominations were rejected, he said.

Over 2,000 candidates are in the race for elections scheduled on December 7, he added. 

He had quit the party on Sunday, announced he will contest the polls as an independent candidate.

"My name was dropped by the party without taking me into confidence. I was not even told about the reason why my name was dropped. After pressure from my supporters and family members, I resigned from the party. I will now contest the elections from Sanganer seat," Ahuja said.

"I had demanded a ticket from Sanganer after the other candidate was given the ticket from Ramgarh but the party did not fulfil my demand. Therefore, I decided to contest as an independent candidate," he said.

Current MLA Gyandev Ahuja, who’d hit national headlines for claiming thousands of condoms were found in JNU at the height of the debate in 2016 has not been given a ticket.

Other MLAs who missed out are Rajkumari Jatav of Hindaun City who made communal statements after April 2 Bandh and Banwari Singhal, Alwary City MLA, who has a board at his office asking Meos (Muslims) not to come for any work was dropped in the 1st list.

In 2016, Ahuja had said: “More than 10,000 butts of cigarettes and 4,000 pieces of beedis are found. 50,000 big and small pieces of bones are found. 2,000 wrappers of chips and namkeen are found, and so are 3,000 used condoms. They commit misdeeds with our sisters and daughters there. And 500 used contraceptive injections are also found."

He also alleged that "students are mostly found taking drugs after 8pm inside the campus. Those studying in JNU are not children, but parents of two children. They indulge in peace protests in the mornings and during the nights, they perform obscene dances."

Earlier this year, he made provocative remarks against Jawaharlal Nehru, saying the country's first prime minister was not a 'pandit' as he ate beef and pork.

He had claimed that cow slaughter ought to be treated like terrorists and had demanded that Hindu girls ‘lured by love jihad’ ought to be brought back.