Jaipur: High-voltage political drama gripped Rajasthan Sunday as BJP intensified deliberations over ticket distribution for the upcoming urban local body elections, even as discontent among party workers spilled onto the streets and collective resignations surfaced in Bhilwara.BJP state headquarters in Jaipur remained the nerve centre of the exercise, with party leaders holding consultations over candidates for Jaipur division and revisiting seats where consensus could not be reached.“The process has been delayed in several places amid competing claims and growing pressure from ticket aspirants,” a BJP source said.The brewing discontent was particularly visible outside the party headquarters, where workers from Civil Lines raised slogans against local BJP MLA Gopal Sharma and his son, alleging that they were attempting to secure tickets for their preferred candidates. The protesters claimed that candidates had already been assured tickets in 16 municipal wards falling under the Assembly constituency, while dedicated party workers were being overlooked.BJP also faced a backlash in Bhilwara as around 70 office-bearers of the Pratap Mandal reportedly submitted their collective resignations Sunday, expressing anger over ticket distribution. The workers alleged that grassroots-level party workers had been ignored while deciding candidates.Amid the turbulence over tickets, however, BJP formally launched its election campaign Sunday. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma flagged off the party’s campaign vehicles from BJP state headquarters in Jaipur. “The party plans to send campaign vehicles across all 309 urban local bodies in Rajasthan,” said a BJP functionary.Equipped with LED screens, the vehicles will showcase the achievements and welfare schemes of the Narendra Modi govt at the Centre and the Bhajan Lal Sharma govt in the state.The campaign vehicles carry messages highlighting govt’s focus on youth, women, workers and farmers. ERCP-Yamuna water agreement, employment and development are among the key themes being projected through the campaign.At the same time, the party has begun privately contacting ticket aspirants in several municipalities. In Alwar Municipal Corporation, calls have reportedly started going out to prospective candidates from several wards, with aspirants being asked to file their nominations and begin campaigning. Those receiving calls have already started mobilising voters.
