Deceased BJP leader’s brother withdraws nomination from Kandhla

MEERUT The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received a jolt ahead of the civic polls in Kandhla town of Shamli district when councillor candidate Sandeep Saini withdrew his candidature from ward 1. He is brother of BJP leader Deepak Saini, who allegedly committed suicide on April 16, after the party denied him ticket from the same ward.

In a damage-control exercise, the BJP offered ticket to his elder brother Sandeep Saini to contest for the post of councillor from ward 1. Sandeep filed his nomination papers, but withdrew his name two days after that on Thursday, said party leaders.

Speaking to HT over phone, Sandeep confirmed that he refused to contest the election, saying he filed his nomination under pressure from some people in the community. “My brother was dedicated to the party and was denied ticket. I am not so dedicated, therefore decided to withdraw my candidature,” he explained while expressing grief over the death of his brother.

The Saini family has not come out of shock after the death of Deepak. His father Bhuru Saini told media persons that he didn’t want his son to be party to “dirty politics” and therefore advised him to withdraw his nomination. “We don’t want to be a part of such a dirty politics, which claimed life of my younger son,” he added.

A resident of Raijadgan locality in Kandhla, Deepak Saini was a dedicated worker of the BJP. He contested the previous civic polls and won from ward no. 3 in his first contest. He was seeking ticket to contest for the post of president of Kandhla Nagar Palika, but the party the trusted someone else. He then demanded a ticket to contest as councillor from ward no. 1 as ward no. 3 was declared reserved for SC.

He was hopeful of getting ticket, but got upset to see his name missing from the list of candidates and consumed poison. He was taken to hospital where doctors declared him dead, said family members.