New Delhi, Mar 21 (IANS): Amid speculation that Anshuman Mishra may not contet for the Rajya Sabha, dissent continued Wednesday in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for failing to nominate senior leader S.S. Ahluwalia.

A day after the divide within the party came out in the open after Yashwant Sinha alleging the seat was "sold out", dissent has grown as the vocal deputy leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha is set to retire.

Several BJP leaders including Sushma Swaraj, Murli Manohar Joshi and Balbir Punj are upset. Anshuman Mishra is an NRI businessman seeking to be elected to the upper house from Jharkhand.

Ahluwalia, a Rajay Sabha member from Jharkhand, will retire April 2.

He gave an emotionally charged farewell speech in the house Wednesday morning.

"When I came to this house, I thought I will convert laws by the power of debate. But when I came here I realised it is not logic but numbers that count," Ahluwalia said, tracing his two decade long association with the house.

Mishra meanwhile hinted that he would withdraw his nomination if BJP leaders told him to.

"I am actively considering withdrawing but I won't take a decision based on what Yashwant Sinha has to say. If senior leaders, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj or others ask me to step down, I will be more than happy," Mishra told NDTV.

Mishra is reportedly a choice of party president Nitin Gadkari. According to party sources, some BJP leaders are considering asking Jharkhand legislators not to vote for Mishra.

Several BJP leaders are also unhappy over the nomination of Ajay Sancheti, also a Gadkari confidant, on the seat vacated by Bal Apte in Maharashtra.