In a dramatic turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken the severe step of expelling its member, Alka Ahire, for a period of six years. This action was taken after she defiantly refused to withdraw her candidature from the Nashik Municipal Corporation elections for Ward 26C, where she was contesting on the party's official 'lotus' symbol.
Chaos and Expulsion Over Ticket Dispute
The party has accused Ahire of engaging in anti-party activities. According to Sunil Kedar, the president of the BJP's city unit, the trouble began on the last day for filing nominations. There was significant chaos during the distribution of AB forms in Nashik city. A report detailing this disorder was sent to the party's top leadership in Mumbai. Based on this report, the party appealed to Alka Ahire, who had already filed her nomination, to step aside and instead announce her support for the party's chosen candidate, Pushpawati Pawar.
"We asked all such members to adhere to the party norms. Most complied," stated Kedar. However, in Ward 26C, the party had officially decided to nominate Pushpawati Pawar. Alka Ahire was formally asked to step down and extend her support to Pawar, but she failed to comply with this directive over the past four days. As a consequence, both Alka Ahire and her husband, Kailas Ahire, a former office-bearer of the party, have been expelled for six years for their anti-party activities.
BJP's Unprecedented Move: Campaigning Against Its Own Symbol
In an unprecedented move, the BJP has now decided to campaign in Ward 26C against its own party symbol. The party is actively appealing to voters to not vote for the 'lotus' and instead choose Pushpawati Pawar, who is now contesting as an independent candidate after the party intended to give her the official ticket.
Kedar claimed that the party has proof that during the issuance of AB forms, some party functionaries created chaos and took away the forms. Another party officer-bearer explained the current strategy, saying, "We have mobilised our teams in support of Pawar and, through the network, we are confident of ensuring that each voter knows about the party's decision." This full-scale campaign aims to directly counter the candidate who is using the BJP's symbol against the party's wishes.
Implications for Nashik Civic Polls
This internal rebellion and the subsequent harsh disciplinary action have thrown the electoral dynamics in Ward 26C into disarray. The situation highlights the intense internal pressures and disputes that can surface during ticket distribution in local body elections. The BJP's drastic measure of asking voters to reject its own symbol underscores the seriousness with which it views the rebellion and its determination to enforce discipline. The outcome in this ward will now be a key test of the party's organizational strength and its ability to control the narrative against a rebel candidate.
