[1]NEW DELHI : Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh is likely to resign from the party tomorrow, sources have told reporter. He is reportedly upset over not being allowed to contest from his home constituency.
Mr Singh, 76, wanted to contest what is likely to be his last election, from Barmer, the constituency in Rajasthan where he was born. But the BJP ignored that and instead decided to field Colonel (Retd.) Sona Ram Choudhary, who was recently imported by the party from the Congress. After his candidacy was announced, Col Choudhary said, “Jaswant Singh is very senior. We will pacify him.”
Mr Singh has reportedly threatened to contest as an independent candidate from Barmer. The BJP picked Col Choudhary for Barmer after much persuasion by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje who argued that as a Jat, he could be a big draw in the constituency where Jats are the dominant community. Mr Singh is a Thakur.
Ms Raje also reportedly hopes that fielding the Colonel will help the BJP get Jat support in adjoining constituencies.
However, the move has upset a section of BJP workers in Barmer who were backing Mr Singh. They are upset over supporting a former Congressman, who they had once fought elections against.Jaswant Singh has never contested from Barmer. He won Lok Sabha elections from Chittorgarh in Rajasthan in 1991 and 1996, and from Darjeeling in West Bengal in 2009.
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