E-Paper
Wary of rebellion, BJP makes efforts to pacify disgruntled legislators
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, party’s election in-charge for Himachal Saudan Singh and former Bihar health minister Mangal Pandey held back-to-back meetings with disgruntled legislators who have been denied tickets
With nominations to the November 12 assembly elections drawing to a close on October 25, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), wary of the rebellion sabotaging its ‘Mission Repeat’, has started making efforts to pacify its disgruntled legislators and leaders.
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, party’s election in-charge for Himachal Saudan Singh and former Bihar health minister Mangal Pandey held back-to-back meetings with disgruntled legislators who have been denied tickets.
BJP has dropped 11 sitting legislators and changed the constituency of three ministers. Forest minister Rakesh Pathania has been shifted from his Nurpur to Fatehpur assembly segment, while urban development minister Suresh Bhardwaj was given a party ticket from Kasumpti seat instead of his traditional Shimla urban assembly segment.
Supporters of both Pathania and the Bhardwaj had openly expressed their displeasure. Bhardwaj, though filed his nomination from Kasumpti today, his supporters in Shimla, particularly the block office bearers expressed their resentment at the BJP state headquarters – Deep Kamal.
Pathania supporters, in protest, pulled off all the BJP banners, posters and flags from the streets of Nurpur town after he was shifted to Fatehpur.
The CM himself has taken charge of pacifying the disgruntled legislators and leaders. Dharamshala legislator Vishal Neharia met the party leaders in the Deep Kamal late on a Thursday evening. Similarly, both Anni legislator Kishori Lal Sagar and Karsog’s legislator Hiral Lal were called to the party office, while it is reliably learnt that former MLA from Nalagarh KL Thakur and a staunch supporter of former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, who was seeking a ticket, refused to meet the party leadership.
BJP had allotted the ticket to Lakhwinder Rana, who recently switched over from Congress.
It has also been learnt that CM spoke telephonically with Hoshyar Singh, an independent legislator who had joined BJP in July.
Hoshyar had gained political limelight after he defeated two heavyweights, five-time legislator Ravinder Singh Ravi, and Congress’ former Rajya Sabha member Viplove Thakur from Dehra.
Thakur had backed Singh’s candidature from Dehra, but the party allocated a ticket to Ramesh Dhawala.
Meanwhile, BJP’s state president Suresh Kashyap said that after consulting the high command, it has been decided that if any party worker or office bearer contests the election as an independent against the party’s official nominee strict action will be taken.
Those found involved in covert anti-party activities will also attract disciplinary action.
“Such worker or office bearer will be expelled for six years and will not be taken back in the party before the expiry of the expulsion period at any cost,” he said.
He exhorted all the party workers to work for the victory of the party and contribute to ‘Misson Repeat’ in the state.
