Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): After the BJP, there is unrest in the Congress regarding ticket distribution for ward elections of the Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC). On Saturday, strong contenders for Congress’ tickets and their supporters from ward number 9, 10, 15, 22, 23, 30, 34 and 51 staged a fierce demonstration. They accused Congress’ Ujjain election in-charge Bala Bachchan, senior Congress leader Dr Batukshankar Joshi, City Congress Committee president Ravi Bhadauria and mayoral candidate Mahesh Parmar of selling tickets and colluding with the BJP. Angry workers also burnt the effigies of the party's official candidates. The youth leaders said that Rahul Gandhi talks about coming on the road and promoting youth leaders, but the senior leaders of the party are trying to finish the party.
Youth Congress and NSUI workers burnt an effigy of senior Congress leaders at the Congress office in Kshirsagar area. The workers reached the Congress office around 4.30 pm raising slogans against the party and its local leaders. The protesters included NSUI leader Amber Mathur who was a ticket claimant from ward 10, Shankar Parmar had a claim from ward 15, Sanchit Sharma from ward 22, Bablu Khinchi from ward 34 and Devvrat Yadav and his supporters from ward 51.
Bablu Khinchi said that the NSUI and Youth Congress workers have been working hard for the Congress for years. The ticket of Shankar Parmar was confirmed as a candidate from ward number 15. But at the last moment, Congress gave the ticket to Megha Nilesh Khule. According to the NSUI and Youth Congress, tickets have been distributed among upper-level leaders only and eligible grassroots workers have been denied an opportunity to contest the polls. The leaders said that Congress and the mayor candidate will be fiercely opposed during the UMC elections.
NSUI leader Pritesh Sharma alleged that Batukshankar Joshi does not want mayor candidate Mahesh Parmar to win and City Congress and Joshi are colluding to defeat Parmar. Shankar Parmar said that earlier he was informed about the confirmation of his ticket. Later Batukshankar Joshi called and said that you will not be able to win the election. Parmar said that his ticket has been cut in connivance with the BJP, so that their candidate Kalavati Yadav can win.
On being contacted by Free Press, former MLA Dr Batuk Shankar Joshi refuted all the allegations made by the party’s ticket claimants against him. “Such elements should first see their position in their wards and their association with the Congress,” he said, adding that, “I would not succumb under the mudslinging tactics of such blackmailers.”
