BJP deliberates on candidates for Himachal bypolls

The BJP election committee meeting would pick two names from each bypoll-bound constituency of Himachal, which will be sent to the party’s parliamentary board for the final approval

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) election committee met at Dharamshala on Sunday to deliberate on the probable candidates for the bypolls slated at the end of this month for Mandi parliamentary constituency and three assembly segments of Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai.

Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur along with other senior BJP functionaries during the election committee meeting in Dharamshala on Sunday. (HT Photo)

The poll panel includes Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, Union sports minister Anurag Thakur, state party chief Suresh Kashyap, BJP national vice-president Saudan Singh, state party incharge Avinash Rai Khanna and co-incharge Sanjay Tandon, BJP organisational secretary Pawan Rana, former state party chief Satpal Singh Satti, former Speaker Rajiv Bindal and party general secretaries Trilok Jamwal, Trilok Kapoor and Rakesh Jamwal.

Sources said that the election committee meeting, which was underway till the filing of this report, would pick two names from each constituency, which will be sent to the party’s parliamentary board for the final approval.

Earlier, while speaking to the media, state party chief Kashyap had expressed confidence that the BJP will win all four bypolls.

He said the development will be the main poll plank of the party. “Jai Ram Thakur-led government has done unprecedented development in the state,” he added. He said the Congress lacks leadership and commitment.

Mandi Lok Sabha seat has been vacant since the death of Ramswaroop Sharma in March this year. The Arki seat fell vacant after six-time CM Virbhadra Singh died on July 8, while the Jubbal-Kotkhai incumbent MLA Narendra Bragta passed away in June. Former transport minister Sujan Singh Pathania, who represented Fatehpur, had died in February.

The election committee also held a meeting with incharges appointed for the byelections, including state industries minister Vikram Singh Thakur, power minister Sukhram Chaudhary, forest minister Rakesh Pathania, health minister Rajiv Sehjal, education minister Govind Thakur, Jal Shakti minister Mahender Singh Thakur and former state president Rajeev Bindal.

The incharges have suggested forming a panel to hold talks with disgruntled leaders.

The BJP fears rebellion by former MP Maheshwar Singh in Mandi. He is a former three-term MP from Mandi parliamentary seat. He holds sway in some pockets.

It is worth mentioning that the party has been considering the names of state Jal Shakti minister Mahender Singh and education minister Govind Thakur for the Mandi Lok Sabha ticket.

Besides them, Pankaj Jamwal, the BJP leader from Jogindernagar and the younger brother of BJP organisational secretary for the seven northeast states Ajay Jamwal, is also vying for the ticket.

Others are CM’s close aide Nihal Chand, who was the Milkfed chairperson, and Kargil hero Brigadier Kushal Thakur.

Ajay Rana, the BJP spokesperson, is also vying for ticket, besides state media coordinator Praveen Sharma.

The Mandi seat is also a litmus test for Jai Ram Thakur for being his home turf.

In Jubbal-Kotkhai, Narendra Bragta’s son Chetan is the front-runner among the probables. However, former zila parishad member Neelam Seraik, who also has a strong vote base, is also vying for the ticket.

It would be a challenge for the BJP to prevent any rebellion as it may harm the party’s prospects in the elections.

On the Arki seat, the BJP is already facing revolt by former MLA Govind Ram Sharma. The BJP is said to be unanimous on the name of Rattan Pal Singh. However, Sharma has announced to contest as an Independent, posing a challenge to the saffron party.

In Fatehpur, former MP Kripal Parmar and local leader Baldev Thakur are the main contenders. If Baldev is denied the ticket, he may revolt as he has done in the past.

In 2017, Baldev had secured more than 13,000 votes when he contested as an Independent and was the reason behind BJP candidate Parmar’s defeat.

Another BJP rebel, former MP Rajan Sushant, is also considering to contest from Fatehpur and would only dent the BJP’s prospects.