TTAADC: Conflict of interest, BJP expels 11 party leaders for violating party decision

In a blow to the pre-poll alliance between Bharat Janata Party (BJP) and IPFT, 11 BJP leaders have been expelled for disobeying the party's decision regarding the alliance.

Agartala: Amid the sharp sense of resentment brewing in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the pre-poll alliance between BJP and IPFT, another blow was dealt to BJP after 11 leaders were expelled for disobeying the party's decision regarding the alliance. The leaders belonging to different Morchas (wings) and Mondol (assembly constituencies) levels had been found violating the party's discipline and were expelled from the party for six years, BJP state spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty told a press conference at BJP state headquarters.

"Since the TTAADC elections were declared, some anti-party activities had come into the notice of the party. A section of the party leaders filed nominations as independent candidates which were against the decision of the party top brass. Some leaders had become proposers for the independent candidates and one party leader joined another party for a ticket. Their actions could not be encouraged as per the principles laid by the BJP party and thus the party had decided to expel all of them for six years," said Chakraborty.

Among the expelled leaders, three leaders become proposers for the candidates, one BJP leader got a ticket from another party and seven others have submitted nominations as independent candidates.

To a question regarding the possibilities of damage that expulsion might deal in for the forthcoming elections, he said, "see for us this is damage control. The BJP party functions according to a discipline and if it is not followed there is no point to keep them in the party. And, in BJP, there is no scope for individual figures, the party runs for the principles it follows which is the most important aspect all should keep in mind".

Chakraborty also maintained that their departure would not leave any impact on the results of BJP in the TTAADC elections.

According to party insiders, a section of BJP's indigenous leadership failed to stomach the alliance between BJP and IPFT as things were not that great between the alliance partners at the local level. Even reports of conflicts and violence between the allies were also rampant. The BJP's Janajati Morch was ostensibly against the alliance and they had communicated their dissatisfaction over the alliance time and again.

However, BJP state General Secretary Tinku Roy said, there are all the scopes for internal deliberations in the party since BJP is a big family. "We all are united but can not afford to break the party's regulations," said Roy.