The first list of Lok Sabha candidates of the BJP has raised questions about denial of party ticket to Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Social media have gone agog with messages soon after the BJP announced the list of 184 candidates including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party national president Amit Shah who will be contesting from Varanasi and Gandhi Nagar constituencies respectively.
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The ticket to party’s national president Amit Shah has raised question on Shah’s argument that Himanta Biswa Sarma was denied ticket due to his responsibility as convener of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).
Going by the same logic, Shah should not have contested the Lok Sabha polls as he has more responsibility as party president.
“It’s really difficult to understand if BJP president Amit Shah can contest in election why Himanta Biswa Sarma should be barred from contesting in excuse of being NEDA chairman?” tweeted Manoj Kumar Goswami, editor of an Assam based television channel.
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“Those who understand know well the difference between ticket and tweet. However, sometimes one has to hide his tears through the consolation of someone else,” said spokesman of the Assam Congress, Rituparna Konwar on his Facebook page.
“One is contesting the polls despite having responsibility of publicity of the party in the entire country and forbidden the other from contesting the polls for responsibility of mere 20 Lok Sabha seats. Difficult to tolerate such insult,” stated Konwar in his Facebook status.
It may be mentioned here that the Assam BJP has sent the name of Himanta Biswa Sarma in the penal for Tezpur constituency. Although the Assam finance minister did not mention the name of the constituency he is contesting from yet he hinted several times to media that he would contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.
“But for NEDA chairman’s responsibility and overall development of the Northeast and coordination with the party and the Government of India, the central BJP has urged them to continue to make their contribution to further strengthen the party in Assam and the north-east, while playing the obligation of minister and NEDA chairman in Assam,” BJP president Amit Shah tweeted after dropping Sarma’s name.
“I hope that the workers of Assam BJP and the entire north-east will accept this decision. I am sure that this decision will take Assam and the entire north-east towards development,” Shah said in a tweet.