BJP will not field relatives of MPs, other elected representatives for Haryana polls

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], Sept 23 (ANI): BJP will not allocate assembly tickets to relatives of its incumbent MPs, Mayors or district council chairpersons in the upcoming elections in Haryana. The party has also decided not to field anyone above the age of 75 years in the crucial polls.
The decision was taken at a meeting of BJP's Haryana election committee on Sunday.
Sources in the party said that the decision was taken after several MPs and senior state party leaders demanded tickets for their kin for the elections.
It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has time and again targeted opposition parties in Haryana including Congress, INLD and Jannayak Janata Party for supporting dynastic politics.
"We have decided that relatives of MPs, mayors and district Council heads won't get tickets in the upcoming assembly elections. In fact, MLAs will also be discouraged from seeking tickets for their family members. Unless there is an absolute emergency, we won't be giving tickets to any relatives", said a senior party leader from the state.
It is learnt that both Khattar and Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala were of a clear view that the party should not promote dynastic politics in the state.
State party leaders reiterated that there is no place for dynastic politics in the BJP and only people committed to the party's ideology and the cause will be fielded in the polls.
The BJP feels that giving tickets to the kin of its leaders would send a wrong message to its cadre ahead of the Assembly polls. "The party doesn't want to disrespect workers who put in a lot of efforts and show commitment towards the organisation. We want to respect their sentiments by not offering tickets to the kin of leaders, as they may be perceived as outsiders," the sources said.
The 90-member state Assembly goes to polls on October 21. The counting of votes will take place on October 24.
In Haryana, BJP with the leadership of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar looks confident of a comeback, while the Congress seems to be engrossed in internal rivalries between various factions. In 2014 elections, BJP won 47 seats limiting Congress to only 15 in Haryana.
After winning an unprecedented 10 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls in Haryana, the state party unit has now been tasked with securing a two-third majority in the 90 member legislature. (ANI)