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Four former MLAs among five rebels expelled by BJP in Himachal
After making concerted efforts to placate rebels, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expelled five leaders, including four former legislators, for anti-party activities for six years
After making concerted efforts to placate rebels, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expelled five leaders, including four former legislators, for anti-party activities for six years. Himachal is all set to go to polls on November 12, the results of which will be declared on December 8.
BJP showed the door to Manohar Dhiman, a former legislator from Indora. Manohar, a BJP rebel candidate, had won the elections in 2012 from Indora as an independent candidate and later became an associate member of the Congress. Manohar did not contest the 2017 elections and the party allocated a ticket to sitting MLA Reeta Dhiman. Manohar was again vying ticket from BJP this time but the party reposed faith in Reeta Dhiman.
Another MLA expelled is Tejwant Negi, a former MLA from Kinnaur. Tejwant lost by a narrow margin to Congress Jagat Singh Negi in the 2017 assembly elections, while he won in 2012 from the Kinnaur constituency reserved for tribal. The party allocated a ticket to CM Jai Ram Thakur’s close aide Surat Negi – who was vice-chairman of the forest corporation. Party top brass was in contact with Tejwant Negi and had made several efforts to placate him.
BJP also ousted KL Thakur, former MLA and former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal loyalist. The party allocated the ticket to MLA Lakhwinder Rana (Nalagarh) who had hopped over from Congress two months back.
Another leader ousted is Kishori Lal Sagar, MLA from Anni. Kishori Lal was denied a ticket and had filed his nomination as an independent candidate. The party also expelled former Rajya Sabha member Kripal Parmar, another close confidante of former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal. Parmar, after being denied a ticket from Fatehpur, had filed nominations as an independent against BJP’s official candidate forest minister Rakesh Pathania. Pathania’s constituency was shifted from Nurpur to Fatehpur. Parmar contested assembly elections on a BJP ticket in 2017. There are nearly 18 rebels from BJP in the fray. Party’s top brass was in touch with many rebels urging them to retire from the field. The last date of withdrawal ended on October 27. National BJP president Jagat Parkash Nadda held back-to-back meetings with the leaders to placate the rebels. BJP this time had dropped 11 sitting legislators
