Senior BJP leader Pawan Khajuria to contest as Independent Candidate from Udhampur East Assembly Constituency
Arun Jasrotia
Udhampur :- Pawan Khajuria, the state vice president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory today announced that he will file his nomination papers as an independent candidate from the Udhampur East constituency.
The announcement came during a press conference held here in Udhampur, where Khajuria stated his intention to submit his nomination on September 11, 2024, at 11 am followed by “ Jan Sanklap Rally” except thousands of Supports of Pawan Khajuria Participated .
Khajuria’s decision stems from his Supporters dissatisfaction with ticket allocation of Udhampur east Constituency from the BJP for the upcoming assembly elections. Accompanied by his workers and supporters, he has resolved to contest against the official BJP candidate in Udhampur East. Despite this move, Khajuria emphasized that he remains a loyal member of the BJP and will continue to be one.
“I will file my nomination papers tomorrow, invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name and chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’,” Khajuria declared, expressing confidence in his ability to win the election.
Khajuria said this contest as a battle between what he termed the “real” and “fake” BJP. He claimed that the party’s official candidate represents the “fake” BJP, while he and his supporters embody the “real” BJP, citing their long-standing association with the party and dedicated work for its cause.
Khajuria was quick to clarify that his fight is not against the BJP itself, but specifically against the candidate fielded by the party in Udhampur East. He expressed confidence in his victory, pointing to the blessings of the public and the large turnout at his recent meeting as indicators of strong support.
The controversy began on September 8, 2024, when the BJP announced R.S. Pathania as their official candidate for the Udhampur East constituency in their sixth list of nominees. This decision came after much speculation, with Pathania and Khajuria being the two main contenders for the ticket.
Following the announcement, supporters of Khajuria, along with numerous leaders and activists, protested outside the BJP headquarters in Udhampur. They demanded a reversal of the decision, calling for the mandate to be given to Khajuria instead of Pathania. The protesters issued an ultimatum until 12 noon on September 9, 2024. However, the party stood firm on its decision.
This situation draws parallels to a similar incident in 2014 when Pawan Kumar Gupta, then BJP state secretary and senior leader, was denied a party ticket for the Udhampur assembly Constituency . Gupta contested as an independent candidate and was subsequently expelled from the BJP’s primary membership on November 21, 2014. Despite this setback, Gupta went on to win the Udhampur Constituency in December 2014, securing 36,226 votes and defeating his nearest rival by a margin of 14,650 votes.
As Khajuria prepares to file his nomination, questions arise about the potential consequences of his decision. Will the BJP take strong action against him, as they did with Gupta in 2014? And more importantly, can Khajuria replicate Gupta’s success as an independent candidate?
The coming weeks will undoubtedly be crucial for both Khajuria and the BJP, as this political drama unfolds in Udhampur East. With the election approaching, all eyes will be on this constituency, watching to see how this internal party conflict impacts the final results. TDD
