BJP leader denied ticket, supporters lock up Odisha party hq

BJP candidate Amiya Dash in Odisha was denied ticket for an assembly constituency here. Following this, Dash's supporters locked up the entrance gate of the state BJP headquarters. Similar protests were also held in Koraput and Jajpur.

Bhubaneswar: Resentment over the selection of BJP candidates led to protests in various parts of Odisha and in one such case the dissidents locked up the state party headquarters here, on Friday.

Angry supporters of Amiya Dash locked up the entrance gate of the state BJP headquarters after he failed to secure a ticket for an assembly constituency here.

Dash's supporters also staged a dharna in front of the party office after his name was not mentioned in the list of candidates announced for 99 assembly constituencies by the BJP central leadership on Thursday night.

The BJP nominated Babu Singh, who joined the saffronparty recently after resigning from the BJD, forEkamra-Bhubaneswar seat and not Dash who had contested thatconstituency during the 2014 election.

The protestors reportedly shouted slogans and demanded aparty ticket for their leader.

However, they relented and opened the gate afterintervention of senior leaders including BJP statevice-president Samir Mohanty.

BJP activists also ransacked the party office atLaxmipur in Koraput district opposing candidature of KumudSaunta, who joined the party after resigning from the BJD.

Voice of resentment was also heard from Badachanain Jajpur district and Basudevpur in Bhadrak district as the party workers opposed the candidates named by the party.