Ram Madhav leads BJP’s efforts to mend fences with disgruntled leaders in Jammu

Srinagar, Sep 01: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is holding hectic deliberations with disgruntled leaders in Jammu and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) senior functionary and former BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav is actively involved in the process.

The saffron party has been hit by an open revolt ever since its first list of candidates was released only to be withdrawn within an hour.

A revised list was released but many of the candidates named in the first were not included.

A perplexed BJP leadership including BJP J&K unit’s chief Ravinder Raina, Member of Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma, and Union Minister Jitendra Singh have launched a salvage exercise since rumblings within the party first surfaced.

Besides, Ram Madhav, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, and national spokesman R P Singh have also been tasked to soothe frayed nerves and placate leaders angry with the party.

Ram Madhav held a meeting at the BJP headquarters at Trikuta Nagar in Jammu that was attended by Union Minister G Kishan Reddy who is the election incharge for J&K and has been camping here for the last few days, party co-incharge J&K, Ashish Sood, BJP J&K unit president Ravinder Raina, and other senior leaders.

Insiders in the BJP said that Ram Madhav held closed-door discussions with several disgruntled party leaders who have expressed concerns over the BJP's internal dynamics and candidate selection process. Madhav's intervention is seen as a damage control measure aimed at quelling dissent within the party ranks ahead of the crucial polls.

“We held talks with them and we can’t give tickets to three to four persons for contesting on one seat,” BJP General Secretary Organisation, Ashok Koul told Greater Kashmir. “Ram Madhav Ji and other leaders are holding deliberations with them.”

Koul said that the list of more candidates was coming in a day or two.

“That will be released after approval of higher authorities and we have sent them,” he said.