BJP faces rift over Kirron Kher’s nomination
CHANDIGRAH: Kirron Kher had wrested the Chandigarh seat in 2014 from the Congress’s Pawan Bansal, who won it three times in a row. But her nomination this time was announced at the last minute, over-riding the objections of the Chandigarh BJP chief Sanjay Tandon.
Mr Tandon, sources said, wanted to pitch another candidate from the seat as he does not get along with Kirron Kher. The 63-year-old actor-politician – who is up against Pawan Bansal again — is now facing pressure from within and outside the party, which is also affecting her campaign in the city.
Earlier this week, Kirron Kher’s husband, actor Anupam Kher, was left red faced during the campaign when in front of television cameras, a shopkeeper pulled out a manifesto of the BJP from 2014 and questioned which of the party’s promises have been met.
Kirron Kher has been nominated by the party for contesting the seat. The inside party rift is also affecting Kher’s campaigning. Last week, Kirron Kher’s husband and Bollywood actor Anupam Kher had an embarrassing moment, when the shopkeeper asked him about the promises from the Bharatiya Janata Party’s 2014 manifesto were fulfilled.
However, this is not the first time when Anupam Kher failed to answer questions put to him during his campaign for his wife. In April, during a roadshow in Chandigarh, a journalist had asked him for his views on allegations that Kirron Kher visits Chandigarh more often in the capacity of an actor than its MP. In response, Anupam Kher had answered Bharat mata ki jai and ran away.
Kirron Kher has also canceled her presser after leaders do not attend the same. Recently, BJP president Amit Shah faced a huge embarrassment after he found empty chairs during his rally in the Lok Sabha segment.
Chandigarh was won by Kirron Kher in 2014 against Pawan Bansal of Congress. This time also Pawan is contesting the Lok Sabha seat. The Lok Sabha segment Chandigarh is going to vote on May 19 during the last phase of Lok Sabha elections 2019, the counting of which will be held on May 23.
The 63-year-old actor-politician – who is up against Pawan Bansal again — is now facing pressure from within and outside the party, which is also affecting her campaign in the city.
Earlier this week, Kirron Kher’s husband, actor Anupam Kher, was left red faced during the campaign when in front of television cameras, a shopkeeper pulled out a manifesto of the BJP from 2014 and questioned which of the party’s promises have been met.
At a rally addressed by BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday, empty chairs were noticed. People even started leaving during his address.Anupam Kher also had to cancel his public meetings due to poor turnout in Chandigarh last week.
A press conference that was to be addressed by Ms Kher this evening got abruptly cancelled. Most BJP leaders do not wish to comment on the situation.
Of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party won four seats, the Shiromani Akali Dal won four and its ally BJP bagged two seats. The Congress won three seats. But in the 2017 assembly election in the state, the Congress had trounced the Akali-BJP combine that had ruled the state for a decade.
(With Agency Inputs ).
