SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 22: Crisis has gripped the BJP in Dhanbad after the party leadership issued a show-cause notice to MLA Raj Sinha and five Mandal presidents head of the Lok Sabha elections on May 25.
To date, the discontent among the BJP ranks over the nomination of history-sheeter Dhulu Mahto was under the carpet. However, the show cause notice to Sadar MLA Raj Sinha and five Mandal presidents has brought the dispute openly to the surface.
The party has also issued a show-cause to Hazaribagh MP Jayant Sinha after he kept himself away from electioneering.
PN Singh, Raj Sinha skip Rajnath Singh’s meeting
The internal crisis reached mountain height on Tuesday (May 21) when MP PN Singh and MLA Raj Sinha did not attend the Bokaro meeting of Rajnath Singh.
PN Singh is considered close to Rajnath Singh in the political circle. But in 29 years this was the first time PN Singh skipped a meeting of Rajnath Singh in Dhanbad- Bokaro.
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Dhulu Mahto levels charges against party leaders
The crisis in BJP started when Dhulu Mahto alleged on camera at Randhir Verma Chowk that his party’s MP and MLA have either taken money or fear from raising their voice against coal mafia/ extortionists.
He did not stop there. One week later in Bokaro he again said that his party MP was moving the whole night with ‘ Ganja’ and people are asking for 20 years account from him.
PN Singh did not react but Raj Sinha expressed his resentment on the allegation of Dhulu Mahto and he stopped attending election programmes of the party.
Appeal to vote for a clean candidate
The internal squabbling aggravated further in the party on May 19 when Raj Sinha while addressing Dhanbad- Bokaro Kayastha Samaj appealed to vote for a clean-face candidate in the election. Sinha quoting Pt Deendayal Upadhya said if the party has put up a wrong candidate do not vote for him.
Though at the meeting senior leaders of the JMM and the Congress (Kayasth members) were also present no one called to vote for their respective candidate.
Since Dhulu Mahto is facing 19 criminal cases his mentors in the party took it as a personal attack and issued notice against Sinha.
Dhanbad a BJP stronghold since 1991
A senior party leader said that Dhanbad has been a stronghold of the BJP since 1991. But such a crisis was never seen in the last 33 years. The workers are disappointed with this action. In 2004, Raj Sinha was party president. Prof Rita Verma lost the election but she did not blame him.
“This is nothing but a suicidal step of the state party leaders at this juncture. The BJP candidate is fighting with his party leaders rather than the INDI Alliance and it may prove costly for the BJP,” said a BJP leader, requesting anonymity.
