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Fatehpur bypoll: Anticipating rebellion, BJP ropes in its key troubleshooters
Three camps are pitching for candidature from the saffron party; the by-election was necessitated by the death of sitting Congress legislator Sujan Singh Pathania
Sensing a rebellion brewing in the Fatehpur assembly segment that will be going to bypoll soon, the Himachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has deputed its key troubleshooters to quell any dissidence.
Industry minister Bikram Thakur, who is considered to be close to chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, has been appointed as in-charge while forest minister Rakesh Pathania is the co-in-charge for the Fatehpur bypolls.Former state BJP president chief and chairperson of the state finance commission Satpal Singh Satti will be the coordinator.
The byelection to Fatehpur, a Rajput community dominated assembly segment in Kangra district, was necessitated by the death of sitting legislator and former Congress minister Sujan Singh Pathania.
BJP state president Suresh Kashyap said these leaders have a vast experience in the field of electoral politics, election management and also played a key role in the Panchayati Raj elections.
Fatehpur, which earlier was part of Jawali constituency, has remained a stronghold of the Congress. Late Congress minister Sujan Singh Pathania has won seven terms from this assembly segment, three in a row, including one by-election.
BJP is hoping to wrest the seat from the Congress as the Opposition lacks a formidable face from the area. However, hoping to cash on sympathy votes, the Congress is mulling to field Sujan’s son Bhawani Singh Pathania from the assembly segment. Bhawani has served at top positions in a private insurance company and is known for his humility.
The Fatehpur block of Congress has already sent a resolution to the party high command supporting his candidature for the by-election.
Tightrope walk for BJP
However, the BJP is in a tight spot over selecting a candidate as it is apprehensive of a rebellion within the party.
At present, former Rajya Sabha MP Kripal Parmar is considered to be a frontrunner in the race for the ticket. However, a rival camp is pushing for Baldev Thakur’s candidature. Notably, Thakur had revolted against the party in the 2017 assembly election, resulting in Parmar’s narrow loss. Thakur had unsuccessfully contested the 2012 election from Fatehpur as a BJP candidate.
Recently, posters had come up in Fatehpur area against Parmar labelling him an outsider. Parmar, originally, belongs from Pathankot but has been living in Fatehpur for decades.
Amid uncertainty over the BJP’s candidate, another name, Pankaj Sharma, has cropped up. Sharma, a youth wing leader has served in the Indian Air Force.
Meanwhile, the forest minister says the ability to win will be the main criteria for selecting a candidate. “The party will soon announce its candidate after mulling over certain key factors. “We have an edge in Fatehpur as 14 panchcyats of my constituency Nurpur have been merged in Fatehpur,” he said, adding that they will ensure that no rebellion takes place and everything is settled amicably.
