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Rebel trouble keeps both BJP, Cong on tenterhooks
While BJP will be facing rebels on 17 seats, Congress managed to mollify eight and is left with 10 rebels in the fray
As the deadline for withdrawing nomination papers ended on Saturday, the ruling BJP had little success in quelling the dissent while Congress heaved a sigh of relief as it managed to placate many of its rebels.
The BJP could pacify former MP Maheshwar Singh, who had filed nomination papers from Kullu, Yuvraj Kapoor who had filed nomination from Karsog and former Dharamshala block president Anil Chaudhary. The trio have withdrawn their papers.
This is despite the party leaders, including national president JP Nadda, making every effort to reach out to the rebels.
Maheshwar Singh was sulking after the party revoked his candidature at the last movement after his son Hiteshwar Singh filed nominations as an independent from Banjar and refused to back down.
Chaudhary was angry over the ticket distribution after BJP fielded OBC leader Rakesh Chaudhary from the Dharamshala seat.
On the other hand, Congress managed to mollify eight rebels, including its former state president Kuldeep Kumar, who had jumped the poll fray from SC reserved seat Chintpurni.
Former MLAs Tilak Raj Sharma from Bilaspur and Biru Ram Kishor from Jhandutta have also withdrawn their nominations in favour of the party candidates.
Apart from it Vijay Kumar, Ishan Kumar and Rakesh Kumar from Dehra, Shamsher Ali Kasmi from Paonta Sahib, Hem Chander from Nachan and Karan Parmar from Shahpur have also backed down.
BJP, it seems, is in a tough spot with at least seventeen prominent rebels ready to queer the poll pitch for the party whereas the Congress will be facing rebels at ten seats.
The biggest BJP leader in the fray as independent after revolting against the party is former Rajya Sabha member Kripal Parmar, who is contesting from the Fatehpur assembly segment in the electorally important Kangra district.
Former MP rebelled after the party shifted forest minister Rakesh Pathania from Nurpur to Fatehpur resulting in Parmar getting out of the ticket race. Earlier, the party had denied a ticket to Parmar in 2019 bye-elections but had managed to prevent him from revolting.
Among others prominent BJP rebels who stood their ground despite party pressure are former sitting MLA from Ani Kishori Lal, former MLAs Manohar Dhiman from Indora, KL Thakur from Nalagarh and Tejwant Negi from Kinnaur, Praveen Sharma from Mandi, Kulbhash Chand from Kangra, Joginder Singh from Shahpur, state vice-president of party’s ST Cell Vipin Nehria from Dharamshala, Ram Singh in Kullu, Hiteshwar Singh in Banjar and Abhishek Thakur from Sundernagar, RK Kondal from Jhandutta, Subash Sharma from Bilaspur and Manish Tomar from Pachhad.
Among the Congress rebels, who are still in the fray include former assembly speaker Gangu Ram Musafir, who is contesting from Pachhad. The party has fielded former BJP leader Dayal Payari, who joined Congress after 2019 by-elections, from Pachhad.
Vijay Pal Khachi, son of Congress stalwart JBL Khachi is contesting as an independent from Theog, while former MLAs Subhash Manglet and Jagjiwan Paul are in the fray from Chopal and Sulah, respectively.
Indu Verma, wife of former BJP MLA Rakesh Verma, who had recently joined Congress but lost the race for a ticket to former HPCC president Kuldeep Rathore has also refused to back down and is contesting from Theog. Besides, Paras Ram from Ani and Lal Singh Kaushal from Nachan have also decided to stay in the contest.
State Congress president Pratibha Singh has expressed gratitude to the revolting leaders who heeded the party’s request and withdrew nomination papers.
She said all such leaders will be given due respect in the party but has also warned that any involvement in the activities against the party’s candidate will attract strict action.
413 IN FRAY, 92 WITHDRAW
Meanwhile, a total of 413 candidates are in the fray for the assembly elections in 68 assembly segments of Himachal Pradesh. A total of 551 candidates had filed 786 nominations for the assembly elections. A total of 92 candidates withdrew their nomination papers, while the candidature of 46 was rejected during scrutiny.
A maximum of 91 candidates are in the fray for 15 seats in Kangra followed by 67 in Mandi for 10 seats and 50 for eight seats in Shimla districts. Only three candidates are contesting for the lone seat in the Lahaul-Spiti district.
