HP polls: Nadda rushes to Shimla to mollify rebels, talks on with Maheshwar
Nadda reached Shimla by chopper and held close-door meetings at the government-run Hotel Peterhoff, which was attended by CM Jai Ram Thakur, state party chief Suresh Kashyap and party’s general secretary (organisation) Pawan Rana
BJP national president Jagat Parkash Nadda, who was camping in his hometown Bilaspur to overseeing the election campaign made a sudden dash to the state capital, Shimla, to formulate a strategy to placate the rebels. BJP is facing rebellion in at least 18 assembly segments.
Nadda reached Shimla by chopper and held close-door meetings at the government-run Hotel Peterhoff, which was attended by CM Jai Ram Thakur, state party chief Suresh Kashyap and party’s general secretary (organisation) Pawan Rana. The party’s top brass also held close door meeting with scion of the Kullu royal family Maheshwar Singh, whose candidature was revoked after his son Hiteshwar Singh filed for nomination as an independent candidate from Banjar. The party gave the ticket to school lecturer Narottam Thakur from the Kullu seat just before the nomination process closed on Tuesday.
“I will consult my workers and take a decision accordingly. Right now, I do not feel like contesting, but my workers have done a lot for me and it is time to pay them back,” said Maheshwar Singh said the meeting. “
On his son’s chances of withdrawing his candidature from Banjar, the veteran leader said, “My son is free to do whatever he feels like.”
BJP has stepped up its efforts to placate the rebels as October 29 is the last day to withdraw nominations. “We are hopeful that the rebellion will be quelled. Many aspirants who could not make it to the list have filed their nominations as independent candidates. They too are soldiers of the BJP, and their anger will cool down soon,” said state party chief Suresh Kashyap.
