Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 5: Amidst reports that elections to Jammu Municipal Corporation are likely to be held in March an intense struggle has ensued among middle rung Bhartiya Janta Party leaders for the tickets.
The fresh infighting, according to the sources, has triggered a tug of war among senior leaders, ministers and the legislators for the posts of party office bearers.
According to the sources in BJP circles, there are three categories of the aspirants for tickets in Municipal polls. Besides those, who were elected as the Municipal councilors in the last elections, held in 2005, every ward has a number of other aspirants, who have reasons and support for their candidature. However, the most powerful contenders for the tickets are those who are kith and kin of the BJP ministers and legislators.
While elaborating, sources informed that some of the relatives of BJP ministers and legislators have started projecting themselves as the party candidates in forthcoming Municipal polls even as the party has not yet started discussion over the matter.
Some sitting legislators and ministers of the BJP, who were elected as Corporators in the last Municipal elections, are more particular for retaining the ward within family and are openly staking their claim in this regard, sources added.
In this connection, sources informed, some of these aspirants and claimants have also started holding meetings in their respective wards amidst reports that there will be no fresh rotation in reserved wards of Jammu Municipal Corporation.
Even as all eyes are set only on the election of new State president of BJP, who is likely to be installed in next few days, sources said that that the infighting for the mandate ahead of Corporation polls is likely to further damage the reputation of saffron brigade in Jammu and Kashmir. |
