The state unit of the BJP on Tuesday removed five party activists from their organisational posts for contesting the ongoing Zila Parishad elections against officially supported party candidates in Kangra district.
Addressing a press conference at Jassur in Nurpur, state BJP spokesperson Vinay Sharma said the action was taken against party members who entered the electoral fray independently despite the party having authorised candidates after consultations with local mandal and district units.
He said Kahan Singh, Gulwant Singh and Shamsher Singh were relieved of their party posts for contesting elections in the Nurpur Assembly constituency, while Dev Raj and Jugal Kishor were removed from their nominated positions in the party for contesting in the Indora Assembly segment outside the party line.
Sharma asserted that the BJP would not tolerate indiscipline at any level and warned that similar action could be initiated against rebel candidates in Fatehpur and Jawali constituencies if recommendations were received from local party units.
Targeting the ruling Congress government in the state, Sharma alleged that the Congress had attempted to delay Panchayati Raj Institution and civic body elections at various stages and conducted the polls only after intervention by the Supreme Court. He further accused the state government of violating the Model Code of Conduct imposed by the State Election Commission during the ongoing elections.
He also alleged that the government was attempting to alter the process for selecting presidents and vice-presidents in civic bodies where elections were held on May 17.
Claiming a strong performance by the BJP in urban local body polls, Sharma said BJP-backed candidates had secured a majority in 40 out of 47 civic bodies across the state.
