This Article is From Jan 19, 2017

Why BJP Chief Amit Shah Is Facing 'Friendly Fire' Right Outside His Home

Why BJP Chief Amit Shah Is Facing 'Friendly Fire' Right Outside His Home

BJP is facing protests for including turn-coats or people who switched to BJP in UP candidates list.

New Delhi: Outside BJP chief Amit Shah's home in Delhi today, several buses arrived and disgorged crowds of supporters carrying what appeared to be party posters. They didn't come in peace. Loud slogan-shouting erupted within seconds. Despite Mr Shah's warning to party men not to lobby for or protest against candidates for next month's state elections, the BJP is facing minor mutinies several times a day.

Today's first group of protesters was from Dhaulana town in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP has named Ramesh Chandra Tomar as its candidate. YP Singh was the party's choice in the previous polls. His supporters loudly and relentlessly tried to seize Mr Shah's attention. They are angry that Dharmesh Tomar, a turn-coat, has been named BJP candidate. Mr Tomar won the seat in the previous 2012 state polls as a Samajwadi candidate, reducing the BJP's YP Singh to a poor third. The BJP is seen to be betting on caste equations by fielding Mr Tomar.

The second group of "rebels" was from Amroha, also in UP. The protesters shouted slogans for Devendra Nagpal, who says he has been denied a chance in the Naugavan constituency.

The BJP has chosen ex-cricketer Chetan Chauhan, who represented the Amroha parliamentary seat long ago but is now being dubbed an "outsider" by Mr Nagpal's loyalists.

Tarsem Singh, a BJP worker holding a protest placard, said, "The local BJP's views have not been considered. Mr Chauhan has no chance of winning as he has not been in Amroha since his term as MP ended. ''

The protestor alleges that the party has set up a walkover for the Samajwadi Party's Mehboob, a four-term MP, by choosing Mr Chauhan.

The shouting bunch finally got a hearing with the BJP's points person for the Uttar Pradesh polls, senior leader Om Mathur.

In the last three days, at least 10 groups have challenged the choices made by the party's central election committee headed by Amit Shah, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The incessant protests reflect that the party's effort to add leaders from rival parties is backfiring and also threatens to upset caste calculations.

Yesterday, another group of protestors from UP were assured that the party will not field a turncoat from Noida, like in the case of Dadri and Jewar.

In Dadri, the BJP is fielding Tejpal Nagar, 58, and in Jewar, 50-year-old Dhirendra Singh is the candidate. They are both recent recruits, taken not before 2014.

Due to the unrest in these two seats, the party has delayed naming a candidate in Noida.
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