BJP, JD-U workers protest over ticket denial

Hundreds of angry BJP and JD-U workers protested at their party offices here on Wednesday after their leaders were denied ticket to contest the Bihar assembly elections.

A group of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members turned violent and broke the main gate of the party office and tried to ransack a room, police said.

Another set of BJP activists from Karakat constituency staged a protest at the same venue to express their displeasure over the denial of ticket to their leader.

Dozens of party workers from Bhagalpur, Ashthawan, Kuchaikot and Behrampur seats also shouted slogans against the BJP leadership.

The BJP has so far declared candidates in 153 of the 160 assembly seats it will contest in the state.

The party is facing a rebellion after it denied ticket to over half a dozen outgoing legislators including former ministers Chandra Mohan Rai and Shukhda Pandey.

Similarly, dozens of furious Janata Dal-United workers protested in front of their party office here after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar released the list of 242 candidates of the grand alliance.

Supporters of Bihar Health Minister Ram Dhani Singh demanded to know why he had not been fielded. "This is wrong," said one supporter.

Earlier, disgruntled Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers demonstrated in front of their leader Lalu Prasad's bungalow.

Indeed, all party offices here have witnessed protests by those denied permission to contest the October-November election -- and their supporters.