Jammu: Discontent within the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir over selection of candidates for the assembly polls came to the fore on Monday, with a group of supporters of state unit secretary Yudhvir Sethi staging a protest outside the party office here alleging a conspiracy behind the denial of party ticket to the leader.

The protesters alleged that the senior leadership in the state has "hatched a conspiracy to benefit other parties".

"There is a conspiracy behind the denial of ticket to the people who have worked throughout their life for the party," Mukesh, a supporter of Sethi, said.

Sethi was hopeful to contest the assembly elections on a party from the Jammu East constituency.

Speaking to PTI, Sethi said, "They (the state leadership) have entered into a deal with other parties. They have sold out the party's 'Mission 44+' dream for their personal gain."

"Not only the front-runners have been ignored but also the mandate has given to the third and fourth rung leaders. I have been working for the party for the past 23 years, but they have denied me the ticket," Sethi claimed.

The Central Election Committee of BJP, which met in New Delhi on Sunday, announced the name of 45 candidates for the Jammu and Kashmir polls. In its first list of 45 candidates, the party has dropped names of seven of its 11 sitting MLA.

When contacted, the party leadership in Jammu refused to comment on the protest, saying that the central leadership of the party from New Delhi finalised the candidate list.