Pradesh Congress Committee office witnessed furore on Tuesday as supporters of three ticket aspirants protested against ticket to Arif Masood from Bhopal Central seat. Enraged party workers raised slogans and burnt an effigy of former Union minister and candidate from Bhojpur Suresh Pachouri accusing him of ‘selling’ the seat for crores.
The third list of Congress declared on late Monday night created storm at the PCC office. The two earlier lists though had led to resentment among ticket aspirants but not to an extent as witnessed on Tuesday after the release of the third list. The party workers were protesting ticket to Arfi Masood, who has been fielded from Bhopal Central seat. The party had sent three names – Arif Masood, Nasir Islam and Sajid Ali to the Congress Election Committee for the seat. The protestors claimed that Pachouri backed Masood and ensured ticket for him.
First the supporters Sajid Ali reached the PCC office and started raising slogans against former Union minister Pachouri, the supporters broke into the office of the state media president Sobha Oza. Oza and others tried to calm down the incensed party workers but in vain.
A little later, supporters of Nasir Islam also reached party office sloganeering against Pachouri. The protestors burnt an effigy of Pachouri and also blacken his face on the hoarding. Police intervened to bring the situation under control. The supporters alleged that ‘the ticket for Bhopal Central seat was sold for crores’. Enraged demonstrators also tore apart the some of the hoardings of Pachauri. Not far behind in expressing ticket denial to their PCC treasurer Govind Goyal, his supporters reached in large number protesting ticket to Masood.
One of Goyal’s supporters Pramod Sharma said that party committed serious mistake by according ticket to a Muslim candidate from Bhopal Central. The party workers claimed that this will polarize the Hindu and Muslim votes and the BJP would be at advantageous position. Goyal’s supporters are now demanding ticket fot their leader from Govindpura seat.