Thaindian News

Jammu, April 14 (IANS) A day after seven Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators voted for the ruling National Conference-Congress alliance candidates in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative council elections, the party Thursday asked all its 11 legislators to submit their resignations from the assembly.

“The resignation letters would be sent to party president Nitin Gadkari, and he will take a final decision it,” said BJP general secretary J.P. Nadda, who arrived here Thursday evening to take stock of the situation after the cross-voting in the council elections.

Nadha told media persons that this matter was deliberated at a meeting and it was felt that all the 11 party legislators should resign.

“The party feels hurt by what has happened and I think the national president will take a final view on it,” he said.

The BJP suffered a huge embarrassment after the cross-voting as people in Jammu who had voted for the party in large numbers in the 2008 assembly elections felt betrayed and demanded that the party members should quit their seats.

BJP leaders and workers Thursday protested against party legislators, staging a sit-in at the party office here.

“Our sit-in will continue till the guilty MLAs are not punished by the party’s national leadership,” said party leader Ramesh Arora.

There were also several anti-BJP demonstrations across Jammu.

In Wednesday’s election, the National Conference won three council seats, the Congress two and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party one. BJP candidate Ranjit Singh polled only four votes.