Bihar BJP chief quits as ticket denied to son

Angry Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party president C P Thakur resigns after son denied ticket for assembly polls

Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party president C P Thakur resigned from the post on Friday after his son Vivek Thakur was denied ticket from Bankipur seat to contest the upcoming assembly polls.

Unhappy with the central BJP leadership, C P Thakur told rediff.com in Patna that he has resigned to protest his helplessness to decide the fate of a candidate of his choice and other reasons including ignorance by top leaders.

Thakur said that he would not take part in election campaign of the party and would discuss with his supporters to take the future course of action.

It is seen as a major set back to BJP in Bihar, which is fighting to retain its support base among upper caste, who played major role in its rise in tally in 2005 assembly polls.

C P Thakur, known as a gentle politician, is upset and expressed his anger over BJP central leadership's decision to hand over Digha seat to its alliance partner Janata Dal-United that denied ticket to his son Vivek from Bankipur.

Both Digha and Bankipur are in Patna and considered stronghold of BJP for its unbeatable urban support base.

A senior BJP leader close to C P Thakur told rediff.com on Friday that he was shocked on Thursday evening to learn that the BJP central leadership formally gave the Digjha seat to JD-U, as part of seat sharing arrangements

BJP announced to field Nitin Navin from Bankipur seat, giving a big blow to Thakur's son Vivek, who had declared to contest assembly polls from the Bankipur seat. "I had told time and again that I would contest from Bankipur if I will contest polls" he had said.

BJP central leadership offered Vivek Thakur to contest polls from
Brahmpur assembly seat that he refused. Thakur had earlier lost the election from the Brahmpur assembly constituency in Buxar district in October/ November 2005 polls.

It was expected till a few days ago that Nitin Navin would be the BJP candidate for Digha and Vivek Thakur would be party candidate for Bankipur.

BJP leaders said that resentment was on the rise in BJP workers after the Digha seat was given to JD-U despite state leaders opposing it.

JD-U leaders, particularly Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, forced top BJP leaders in New Delhi to give Digha seat to it, sources in JD-U circles said.

BJP is contesting 102 assembly seats and its alliance partner JD-U is contesting 141 out of the total 243 seats In Bihar aseembly.