Bihar BJP chief refuses to withdraw resignation

PATNA - The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Bihar unit president C.P. Thakur refused to withdraw his resignation Saturday, a day after he stepped down saying that he was unhappy with the distribution of tickets to contest the upcoming assembly polls.

A BJP leader close to Thakur told IANS that the latter would not take part in campaigning for the elections as well. Thakur resigned from the party post after his son was denied a ticket to contest the state assembly elections.

“Thakur will hold a meeting with his supporters Saturday to decide the final course of action. So far he is not ready to withdraw his resignation,” the BJP leader said.

He added that Thakur had felt humiliated by the way he was ignored in the decision-making process of the ticket distribution.

Apart from Thakur, senior BJP leader in Bihar Ashwani Kumar Choubey also resigned from the party core committee Friday night, angry over ticket distribution.

Thakur told reporters here Friday that he has sent in his resignation to BJP national president Nitin Gadkari but was yet to receive any response.

“I have resigned from the party post for several reasons, including my being ignored and neglected as the state party president by the party leadership,” Thakur said.

Thakur’s son Vivek was denied ticket to contest the polls from Bankipur constituency in Patna.

Bihar will elect a 243-member assembly in staggered polling that begins Oct 21 and ends Nov 20. The results will be known Nov 24.