This story is from October 2, 2020

Bihar polls: Resentment among BJP workers over handing over of Buxar seat to former DGP

Bihar polls: Resentment among BJP workers over handing over of Buxar seat to former DGP
Photo for representative purpose only
PATNA: Great resentment prevails among the BJP workers in Buxar district over internal reports that Buxar assembly constituency is being handed over to ally JD(U) in the seat-sharing to facilitate the candidature of former DGP Gupteshwar Pandey.
The Buxar unit of BJP recently conveyed its workers’ resentment to the party’s state leaders and urged them to do the needful to ensure that the Buxar seat remains with the saffron party.

“All our state leaders are aware about the prevailing resentment among the workers. We have conveyed the state leaders, through proper medium, about the sentiments of workers,” BJP’s Buxar district president Madhuri Kunwar told TOI over phone.
“If Buxar seat goes in the favour of JD(U), the BJP workers will not work in the election. I am telling you the voice of BJP workers,” she said.
BJP’s Buxar MP and Union minister of state for health Ashwini Kumar Choubey too had recently expressed his reservation over any other NDA ally staking claim on the Buxar assembly seat. “Buxar is the traditional seat of the BJP,” Choubey had said.
BJP’s Sukhda Pandey had won the Buxar assembly seat in three elections- 2000, February 2005 and 2010. But she lost the seat to Congress’ candidate Sanjay Kumar Tiwari in the 2015 assembly polls.
1987-batch IPS officer Gupteshwar Pandey, who took voluntary retirement from the police service on September 22, joined the JD(U) in presence of the party president and
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on September 27, just five days after quitting the post of the state DGP. As per speculations going in the state’s political circles, Pandey’s name is being considered as JD((U) candidate from Buxar seat. Pandey is native of Geruabandh village under Itarhi block in Buxar district.
Kunwar further said the BJP was not dependent on others for victory in Buxar assembly seat. “We have our own strength to win the election from Buxar seat,” she said, adding, “We have already given two seats -- Rajpur and Dumraon- to the JD(U) in the alliance and other two seats- Buxar and Brahmapur- are contested by the BJP for the last several elections.”
On being asked whether she knew that the name of former DGP Pandey was being considered as JD(U) candidate from Buxar seat, Kunwar said, “We too have been hearing such rumours, but the BJP workers are not ready for it.”
“The BJP workers have been doing ‘labour’ in their both seats years-by-years. We do not work only during the election period. Instead we nurture our constituencies years-by-years. If our seats go in the kitty of others, for what purpose the BJP workers have been doing ‘labour’ for the years. Are the BJP workers only to carry ‘Jhola’ (bags) of others?” Kunwar asked.
Kunwar also said she had been receiving around 500 phone calls per day from the BJP workers who inquired whether the BJP was going to contest from Buxar and Brahmapur seats or not. “Workers are very disappointed,” She said.
“I am also telling you that if the BJP will not get Buxar and Brahmapur seats, the NDA will lose all the four assembly seats in Buxar district. JD(U) will not win any seat in the district,” Kunwar claimed.
Contrary, the JD(U) leaders in the district are in upbeat mood over the reports that former DGP would be contesting Buxar seat on the JD(U) symbol.
Sources said, Pandey had a long meeting with the JD(U)’s Buxar unit president Bindhyachal Singh Kushwaha during his last visit to Buxar a few days ago.
Admitting his meeting with Pandey, Kushwaha told TOI over phone that the DGP had called him to the Buxar circuit house in the capacity of being the school days’ friend and they had a long chat on different social issues.
Kushwaha also said Pandey is native of Buxar district and there was nothing wrong if he was fielded by the JD(U) from Buxar seat.
On being asked about the BJP’s claim on Buxar assembly seat, Kushawaha said the BJP had been contesting all four assembly seats in the neighbouring Kaimur district. Hence, the saffron party should leave at least three seats for the JD(U) in Buxar district. “But final decision on the seat sharing will be taken by our top leaders. We will follow whatever decision is taken by our leaders on the Buxar seat,” Kushwaha told TOI.
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