Bhubaneswar: The Bharaitya Janata Party (BJP) has started to faces protests in Odisha over selection of candidates for the upcoming elections in the State.
Annoyed over not getting BJP party ticket, hundreds of supporters of Himanshu Sekhar Sahu staged a massive protest at the state headquarter office in Bhubaneswar today.
The saffron party, which declared candidates for 112 assembly constituencies in Odisha today, has fielded Smruti Rekha Pahl from the Dharamsala seat. However, the supporters of Himanshu, who was once of the aspirants of the ticket, protested her candidature alleging that the ticket has been given to a wrong person and demanded immediate reconsideration and ticket for Himanshu.
“Ever since Himanshu bhai (brother) joined the BJP officially after leaving BJD, he has been working tirelessly and brought over 15,000 party workers from the State ruling party and included them in the saffron party. However, he has not been given ticket by the BJP today. Ticket has been given to a woman (Smruti Rekha Pahl) who has no base in the area. There has been corruption in distribution of tickets,” said one of the protesters.
“If Himanshu bhai (brother) is not given ticket, then we shall hit the street of Dharamsala and protest Smruti Rekha Pahl’s candidature,” he warned.
Ms Kalinga