Early Times Report
jammu, Oct 19: Even as it was an 'all BJP' show at District Development Board meeting held at Kathua the other day, an atmosphere of acrimony and unfriendliness prevailed for some time during the meeting when of the party MLAs dared express disagreement with Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh on one of the key announcements with regard to establishment of sports stadium in the district. The matter once again brought to fore complete disharmony and dissension between the ruling party legislators and Ministers.
Sources said the voices of disagreement erupted when Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, who chaired the meeting announced that Government intends to construct Indoor Sports Stadium in the district and that this would come up in Basohli, which happens to be his home constituency, though represented at present by Health Minister Lal Singh. In no time this was strongly objected to by Rajiv Jasrotia, MLA of the BJP from Kathua constituency, sources said. Jasrotia objected and opposed this on the claim and contention that in the recently concluded Assembly session the concerned Minister stated that sports stadium would come up in the Kathua constituency itself, how could this be changed to another constituency within a gap of few days, sources said.
Sources said the Deputy Chief Minister tried to impose his authority on the issue with various arguments but the MLA, far more junior to him remained consistent on his point, which was unpalatable to the former. Bitter moments and heated arguments prevailed for some time with the Kathua MLA maintaining that this project has to come up in his constituency, sources said, adding that a formal announcement and mention in the minutes was not made during the meeting on this project.
While the meeting ended later on a calm note, but the message that went out to public about the scenes of discord between the leaders of the same party has not gone well at all , said the sources. Instead a word has gone far and wide that Deputy Chief Minister on account of his position and authority is giving special treatment to his home constituency and other places for political consideration, notwithstanding the fact that these constituencies are represented by his party BJP alone, sources said this has added to wave of resentment among the masses on a host of other issues. Sources also said
This has belied the claims of the ruling party itself that all the constituencies were equally important for the party and that no discrimination would be meted out to any on the basis of it being represented by Minister or the MLA. |
