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As BJP chalks out strategy to tackle rebels, Nadda meets Dhumal in Delhi
Former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhuma called on Nadda in New Delhi. The meeting in Delhi assumes significance as many of Dhumal’s loyalists who were in the race for tickets did not make it to the list
With many of its leaders raising banners of revolt after being denied tickets, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got into damage control mode for quelling the rebellion.
Former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who has opted out from the poll fray this time owing to his age, called on national party chief JP Nadda in New Delhi. The meeting in Delhi assumes significance as many of Dhumal’s loyalists who were in the race for tickets did not make it to the list. Dhumal and his son Union minister Anurag Thakur are vying for tickets for their loyalist. Dhumal’s loyalist Ravinder Singh Ravi, a five-time legislator, faced an unexpected defeat from Dehra last time from political greenhorn businessman-turned-politician Hoshyar Singh who later joined the BJP in spite of sharp protest from the block level. Ravi is keen to contest elections and was vying ticket from Sulah but the party reposed its faith in Vidhan Sabha speaker Bipin Singh Parmar. The party had seemingly contemplated accommodating Ravi in the Jawalamukhi constituency held by the party’s senior OBC leader Ramesh Dhawala. A section of party leaders wanted Dhawala to shift back to the Dehra assembly segment while Jai Ram Thakur is keen on the ticket for Hoshyar Singh. The party trouble-shooters in Delhi were holding back-to-back meetings to finalise the list of the six left-out assembly segments. The BJP on Wednesday morning released the list of 62 candidates which had 19 new faces while it dropped 11 sitting legislators. Urban development minister Suresh Bhardwaj is unhappy over being shifted to the Kasumpti assembly segment. Bhardwaj has been a four-time legislator from Shimla. Party has now shifted his ticket to Kasumpti. Hours after the BJP released a list of candidates, the supporters of Bhardwaj gathered at his official residence demanding the high command to shift him back to Shimla. Bhardwaj has been a four-time legislator from Shimla Urban. This time the high command shifted him to Kasumpti, a strong Congress stronghold. His supporters have threatened to resign from the party in protest. “We are demanding the high command to shift him back to Shimla as he has remained with people of the town in the critical time and largely contributed towards the development of the town,” said Rajesh Sharda, president of the BJP block Shimla. Shimla Mayor Satya Kaundal along with former Municipal Corporation councillors were also present at the meeting.
The BJP has fielded Sanjay Sood from Shimla town. Sood runs a tea stall at the main bus stand in Shimla and has remained the treasurer of the party.
Aditya Vikram Singh, son of former minister Karan Singh, joined the BJP after Congress allocated a ticket to former BJP president Khimi Ram Sharma from Banjar. He joined the party in presence of Jai Ram Thakur and the party’s co-in-charge Devender Rana
