Heart burn over ticket distributions may singe ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's hands in forming the next government in Chhattisgarh even as the party basks in the glory of the 'gentleman' image of its Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Not surprisingly, senior party leaders from the Centre are literally burning the midnight oil to stem the rebellion.
In a veiled admission of the damage potential of the party rebels, National Vice President of the BJP and Lok Sabha
Member of Parliament from Jangir in the state Karuna Shukla told PTI, "Rebels damage all political parties."
"We have tried to convince them to work in the large interests of the parties. But there are few persons who do not listen even to senior leaders. Hence, acknowledging the damage that they can do, we are trying to compensate it through other steps," she added.
The seats where the party faces challenges from the rebel in the second phase of polls on November 20 include Raipur
West, Bhatgaon, Samri, Chandrapur, Sitapur, Dharamjaygarh.
The party also faces the same problem in Dantewada, Konta, Bijapur, Dhamtari, Kurud, Sihawa, Kanker, Keshkal,
Kondagaon and Jagdalpur areas, which are going to polls in the first phase on November 14.
The party earlier chucked out nine rebel leaders, who are contesting against the party's official nominee in the first phase of poll, while the latest expulsions of seven party leaders was made on November 7.
Earlier, working on the Gujarat formula of changing the representatives, the party denied tickets to 18 sitting legislators, including a minister and five parliamentary secretaries, while releasing its first list of 78 candidates out of the state's total 90 seats.