BHOPAL: When almost everyone who was denied a ticket rebelled on either side of the political divide, BJP veteran Kusum Mehdele preferred to stay quiet. Until Sunday evening, when she quietly dropped a tweet-bomb.Addressed to Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar, the four-time legislator expressed her anger at tickets being given to "bahu and betas of BJP leaders". "Why this injustice? The one who lost Powai election by 12,000 votes was made candidate from Panna, while the one who won from Panna by a margin of 29,000 votes (Mehdele herself) was denied a ticket. Why? Is this the party of Pandit Deendayal Upadhaya and Shyamaprasad Mukherjee , Tomar ji?" tweeted the 75-year-old sitting MLA from Panna.Later, talking to TOI, Jijji - as she is known as among party cadre - dwelt at length on how the party has been discriminatory.When betas of Kailash Vijayvargiya and Gaurishankar Shejwar can be obliged, when Krishna Gaur, bahu of Babulal Gaur, gets a ticket and when Malini Gaud, wife of Laxman Singh, can also be given ticket, then why was it denied to Ashutosh Singh Mehdele, my brother?”“They talk about the age factor,” she carried on, “When tickets were given to people like Jugal Kishore Bagri, Nagendra Singh and Jayant Malaiya — all elder to me, then why is the age factor applicable only to me? Why this discrimination?”Mehdele said she had approached CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Tomar, BJP state president Rakesh Singh, Suhas Bhagat and even Vinay Sahastrabudhe for a ticket for her brother. “Ask them If I am wrong. Ashutosh Singh Mehdele is my representative and member of BJP executive, still he was denied,” she said.And it did not end here, she said. “Listen to the story of Prahalad Lodhi, a Congressman who crossed to Samajwadi Party and got a ticket from Powai. BJP leaders swung into action and flew to Powai. Lodhi was admitted into BJP on November 9 and given a ticket. “Why? Ask Rakesh Singh, and tell him that Kusum Mehdele has given this statement,” she said fuming with anger. She pointed out that she did not turn rebel and remains a dedicated BJP worker. Asked if she would campaign for the BJP candidate in Panna, she said, “The party has not yet asked me to campaign. I cannot answer this question.”

Stay updated with all the Bhopal Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.