Sri Vijaya Puram, May 8: A fresh political storm has erupted within the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Andaman & Nicobar unit after Ward No. 6 Councillor Aziz Ur Rehman publicly questioned the circumstances surrounding his reported expulsion from the party. The controversy has once again brought the functioning of the BJP’s island leadership under scrutiny, particularly at a time when the party has faced a series of electoral setbacks in the Union Territory.
In a detailed public statement issued after learning about his “purported expulsion” through social media, Rehman alleged that the action, reportedly approved by BJP State President Anil Kumar Tiwari, was taken without procedural fairness and based on “unverified allegations.”
Rehman, a two-time elected councillor from Ward No. 6, maintained that his political journey has been rooted in public service rather than party affiliations. He pointed out that both he and his wife, Prowtima Banerjee, have previously won elections in the ward, attributing their electoral success to grassroots work and public trust developed over the years.
The disciplinary action against him reportedly stems from allegations that he refused to support the party’s official candidate during the SVPMC elections and was involved in cross-voting. Rejecting the allegation outright, Rehman argued that the election was conducted through secret ballot, making any public claim regarding his vote “logically and legally impossible” unless the sanctity of the electoral process itself was compromised.
He further challenged the BJP leadership to produce “a single shred of empirical evidence” to support the allegation.
The development comes at a politically sensitive time for the BJP in the islands. Over the past several months, the party has lost control over multiple important political positions, including defeats in the PBMC Chairperson election, PBMC Senior Vice Chairperson election, Zilla Parishad South Andaman election, and the Ward No. 17 by-election, where an independent candidate emerged victorious.
Within political circles, these repeated setbacks have intensified murmurs over the effectiveness of the current state leadership under Tiwari. Critics within and outside the party have increasingly pointed to a growing disconnect between the BJP’s organisational leadership and local island issues.
Rehman, in his statement, indirectly echoed similar concerns, alleging that he was being used as a “scapegoat” to divert attention from the party’s recent political losses instead of introspection within the organisation.
He also claimed that earlier instances of alleged cross-voting during previous chairperson elections had not resulted in disciplinary action against those involved, raising questions over selective targeting and internal factionalism.
The controversy has also revived criticism surrounding the BJP state unit’s response to major local issues. Political observers recall the widespread public debate over the demand for a Central University versus a Deemed University in the islands, a matter that saw students, civil society groups and islanders taking to the streets in protest. During that period, while BJP Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray publicly backed local sentiments, sections within the party were accused of remaining largely absent from the discourse.
Opposition voices and even some BJP supporters have increasingly alleged that the state leadership under Tiwari, who hails from mainland India, has struggled to engage with the emotional and developmental concerns unique to the islands.
Rehman’s remarks are likely to further deepen existing tensions within the BJP’s island unit, especially ahead of future civic and local body political contests.
Despite the controversy, Rehman asserted that his commitment towards Ward No. 6 and the people of the islands would continue “with or without any banner.” He stated that he has dedicated over 15 years to public service and would continue working for society irrespective of political circumstances.
He also reserved his legal right to challenge what he termed “defamatory statements” made against him without evidence.
The BJP’s Andaman & Nicobar unit had not officially responded to Rehman’s allegations till the filing of this report.
