The ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh is facing criticism and rebellion over a large number of relatives of established party leaders getting tickets to contest in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. The BJP has always been at the forefront accusing the first family of the Congress of promoting dynasty politics, but the recent selection of candidates shows that the BJP is also espousing nepotism.

Interestingly, more than 25 tickets have been given to sons of established BJP leaders, in addition to 15-17 nominations to other relatives of top leaders of the party, data collected here indicated. The party which was opposed to repeating veteran and popular leader Babulal Gaur from his long-time seat Govindpura in Bhopal, has agreed to make his daughter-in-law and former Bhopal mayor Krishna Gaur the party candidate.

Despite conducting many official and unofficial surveys before distributing tickets, the party faced some disagreement from among party ranks over the same, and in the end the central leadership had to bow before some of its regional and local satraps. This, too, has led to rebellion in the party in some places, insiders told DNA.

In Indore, for example, the party's all India general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya has succeeded in fielding his son Akash in spite of opposition from various factions. Vijavargiya, a sitting MLA from Mhow, declined to contest election this time and instead got his son a ticket from a different constituency.

A senior BJP leader and former corporator Lalit Porwal who was an aspirant from constituency number 3 from where Vijayvargiya's son has been fielded, has turned a rebel and filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate. Porwal, who said he was denied his due, added that the party promoted 'vanshwad' (dynastic rule) blatantly to favour its party general secretary.

Former Union minister Sartaj Singh also quit party to join the Congress. CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan's brother in law Sanjay Singh also quit the BJP to join Congress and got a ticket with the help of PCC chief Kamal Nath.

Elsewhere in Madhya Pradesh, former CM Kailash Joshi's son and minister Deepak, former CM Sunderlal Patwa's nephew Surendra, party veteran Kailash Sarang's son Vishwas, senior MP Prahlad Patel's brother Jalam Singh (both ministers), Forest Minister Dr Gauri Shankar Shejwar's son Mudit (Sanchi), Union minister Uma Bharti's nephew Rahul Lodhi ( Khargapur), and Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot's son Jitendra Gehlot ( Aalot), are some of the prominent names among those who bring with them a famous name and a family linked with the party.

AAM state chief Alok Agarwal castigated BJP for resorting to "pariwaravad". "It's a new BJP which is openly encouraging dynastic politics, something the people will reject," he said.
Tickets To Kin

While the BJP has been at the forefront accusing the Congress of promoting ‘dynasty politics’, the party has given over 25 tickets to sons of leaders in MP.