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Col Inder Singh, Bragta in race for post of Himachal Speaker
New Speaker will be appointed on the opening day of the budget session on February 26; six leaders make last-ditch efforts to strengthen claim for the post
SHIMLA: With only a week left for the budget session of the Himachal Pradesh assembly to begin, hectic lobbying is on for the post of Speaker that fell vacant after Dr Rajeev Bindal quit to take charge of the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
At least six leaders have thrown their hat into the ring and are making last-ditch efforts to strengthen their claim for the post. The new speaker will be appointed on the opening day of the budget session on February 26.
Four-time legislator Colonel Inder Singh (retd) from Sarkaghat is being considered as the frontrunner for the post but he faces competition from three-time legislator and former horticulture minister Narendra Bragta, considered close to former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. Bragta is the legislator from Jubbal and is also the party’s chief whip with cabinet rank. Inder Singh was once close to Dhumal but is now said to be chief minister Jai Ram Thakur’s loyalist.
It is learnt that deputy speaker Hansraj, who been elected twice to the assembly from Churah, too is keen to be elevated to the post of speaker.
Another contender is Hamirpur legislator Narender Thakur, the son of BJP leader the late Jagdev Chand Thakur.
Since the chief minister has announced that he will rejig his cabinet by February 24, the name of education and law minister Suresh Bhardwaj is doing the rounds. But Bhardwaj, an MLA from Shimla, is learnt to have declined the speaker’s post. He is one of the senior ministers in the government next to irrigation and IPH minister Mahender Singh Thakur, who is internally opposing the candidature of Inder Singh Thakur due to an old political rivalry.
Senior BJP legislator from Nurpur Rakesh Pathania’s name has already been cleared for a cabinet berth.
Another contender for the post is Poanta Sahib legislator Sukhram Chaudhary. He is a four-time MLA. Pathania was given tough competition by Jawalamukhi MLA Ramesh Dhawala.
Chief minister Thakur is likely to accommodate former BJP state head Satpal Satti as chairman of the 20-point committee with cabinet rank. Satti lost the elections from Una to Satpal Singh Raizada of the Congress. Satti is credited with strengthening BJP cadres in the state. He has remained the longest serving BJP president and remained head of the organisation in the state for eight years.
The BJP plans a mega rally in Solan on February 27 to welcome Jagat Parkash Nadda, who will be making his first visit to his home state after becoming the party’s national president.
