Ramkrishna Kusmaria, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and a former minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government in Madhya Pradesh, has expressed discontent over the ticket distribution process and claimed that the party does not respect elderly people, similar to the manner in which Mughal ruler Aurangzeb imprisoned his father.
Kusmaria, a former agriculture minister and the president of Bundelkhand Development Corporation, said "I don't understand what the problem is in giving tickets to the elderly. I believe that BJP is acting like how Aurangzeb had imprisoned his father and ruled. This is what they are doing now. Is this the way how to treat elderly people? The party needs to respect such people."
The BJP leader added that the people wanted him to be elected from Damoh constituency, asserting that the development works would be expedited. He further alleged that the BJP ignored his demand for a ticket to contest from Damoh, and therefore, filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate on Friday.
"People are demanding that if you win, then the development works, which were stalled previously, would be completed soon. The previous legislator (from Damoh) did not pay heed. I am feeling suffocated now over the ticket distribution issue." Kusmaria said.
He further said that the Congress party was in touch with him, adding that "anything can happen" in the run-up to the polls.
Kusmaria is a five-time Member of Parliament (MP) and has been a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Damoh thrice.
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In the last assembly elections in 2013, the BJP had transferred him from Damoh district to Rajnagar assembly seat in Chhattarpur district, but he lost from there.
Madhya Pradesh is slated to go on polls on November 28, while counting of votes will be held on December 11.
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