Ahead of the upcoming municipal corporation councillor elections in Rajasthan, two of Alwar's four Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mandal presidents have stepped down along with their executive committees, citing dissatisfaction over ticket distribution. The resignations were formally submitted to BJP District President Ashok Gupta, who did not respond to requests for comment.

Which Mandals Resigned and What They Cover

The two Mandals that have quit collectively cover 33 of Alwar's 65 wards. Shri Vivekananda Mandal oversees 17 wards, while Shri Keshav Mandal covers the remaining 16. A total of 15 members of the Shri Vivekananda Mandal executive committee, including Mandal President Jitendra Singh Rathore, have resigned. Eight office-bearers from the Shri Keshav Mandal executive committee, including Mandal President Mahesh Nihalani, have also submitted their papers.

The Ticket Dispute at the Centre of the Row

Rathore stated he had sought a BJP ticket for his wife, Hukam Kanwar, from Ward 25. The party reportedly awarded the ticket instead to Ramakant Yadav, who had previously contested an election from a different ward. Rathore also raised a procedural objection, alleging that Ward 25 is reserved for a woman from the general category, yet the ticket was given to an OBC candidate — a claim that, if accurate, points to a potential reservation-category mismatch in the seat allocation process.

The Shri Keshav Mandal office-bearers echoed similar grievances, alleging that the party had promised candidates would be finalised through consultations with Mandal presidents and their executive committees, but that this process was not followed.

Wider Discontent Within the Party

The resignations are not limited to the two Mandals. Vijendra Gurjar, District General Secretary of the BJP OBC Morcha, has resigned from both his organisational post and his primary membership of the party. In his resignation letter, Gurjar cited growing discontent among party workers over the organisation's functioning and what he described as the continued neglect of dedicated grassroots workers who have served the party for years. He stated there was no justification for holding an organisational position when the dignity and views of loyal workers could not be protected.

Senior BJP leader Suresh Mehta, considered close to Minister of State for Forests Sanjay Sharma, also voiced displeasure on social media. In a post, Mehta remarked that the party apparently no longer needs experienced and veteran leaders, suggesting they should sit at home while 'selfish individuals and sycophants' take their place. Mehta did not explicitly name the reason for his dissatisfaction, but the post is widely read in the context of the municipal elections.

Efforts to Contain the Fallout

Several senior BJP leaders were reportedly engaged late into the night in efforts to persuade the resigned office-bearers to reconsider. The scale of the internal revolt — spanning two Mandals, an OBC Morcha general secretary, and a senior leader's public rebuke — signals significant organisational stress in Alwar ahead of the civic polls. How the party leadership responds in the coming days will be closely watched.