JAMMU, SEPTEMBER 18: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday suspended three senior leaders for running against the party’s official candidates in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, according to a party spokesperson.
The suspended leaders include J&K BJP Vice President Pawan Khajuria and senior leaders Balwan Singh and Narinder Singh Bhau. The disciplinary action was taken based on a recommendation from the party’s disciplinary committee, led by Sunil Sethi.
Khajuria is contesting as an independent candidate, while Singh is running as a National Panthers Party (NPP) candidate in the Udhampur East Assembly segment, where the BJP has fielded former MLA R.S. Pathania. Bhau is contesting as an independent from the Chhamb constituency in Jammu, opposing BJP’s official candidate, former MLA Rajeev Kumar. Notably, senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand is also contesting from Chhamb.
The BJP spokesperson stated that the party’s working president, Sat Paul Sharma,vordered the suspension of the three leaders for their “act of indiscipline” in contesting against the official party candidates.
The BJP has faced internal dissent in nearly a dozen constituencies, with several prominent leaders either resigning or entering the race as independents.
