BJP leader denied ticket, supporters lock up Odisha party hq

Resentment over 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 Friday.

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

Dash's supporters also staged 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 saffron party recently after resigning from the BJD, for Ekamra-Bhubaneswar seat and not Dash who had contested that constituency during the 2014 election.

The protestors shouted slogans and demanded a party ticket for their leader.

However, they relented and opened the gate after intervention of senior leaders including BJP state vice-president Samir Mohanty.

BJP activists also ransacked the party office at Laxmipur in Koraput district opposing candidature of Kumud Saunta, who joined the party after resigning from the BJD.

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