CHANDIGARH: In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP and the Congress have traditionally locked horns, but in the upcoming assembly elections, which are scheduled for November 12, the contest has become more complicated since 15 rebels from either side are expected to act as spoilers. The rebels filed their nominations on Tuesday, which was the last day to file the papers. However, the last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 29. Thus both parties have now stepped up efforts to placate them to withdraw their candidatures.
In the ruling BJP, former Member of Parliament Maheshwar Singh and his son Hiteshwar Singh have jumped into the fray as BJP rebels from Kullu (Sadar) and the adjoining Banjar assembly seats, respectively. The saffron party had dropped Singh from Kullu (Sardar) after he failed to convince his son who had filed papers as an Independent candidate from Banjar.
Narottam Thakur, who had recently left his job as a teacher, would contest elections for the first time. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur met Singh on Saturday and asked him to pacify his rebel son or face consequences.
Also, the vice-president of the state unit of BJP, Ram Singh filed nomination papers as an Independent candidate from Kullu (Sadar). On the last day for filing nomination papers, Vipin Nehria who is district president of the BJP ST Morcha filed his nomination papers from Dharamsala against BJP candidate Rakesh Chaudhary. Anil Chaudhary, BJP block president of Dharamsala filed nomination papers as an Independent candidate.
Kulbash Chaudhary, a zila parishad member of the BJP, has filed nomination papers as an Independent candidate from Kangra. Kirpal Singh Parmar, a former Rajya Sabha member of the BJP, has filed nomination papers as an Independent candidate from Fatehpur.
The situation is also not so different in the main opposition Congress with around 15 senior leaders who have been denied tickets by the grand-old party filing their nominations as Independents. The state congress unit general secretary Bhuvneshwar Gaur filed his nomination from Manali. He along with a large number of supporters held a road show. He was accompanied by Congress campaign committee chairman Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
While former Himachal Pradesh Congress president Kuldip Kumar filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate from the Chintpurni. Also, seven-time MLA, who was denied a ticket after his three successive electoral losses, GR Musafir filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from the Pachhad seat in Sirmaur district. He will dent the party’s voter bank in the non-Hattee belt. Former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Jagjivan Pal has filed nomination as an Independent candidate from Sullah after the Congress denied him the ticket and fielded Jagdish Singh Sapaiya, a former chairman of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank.
Independents to act as spoilers for parties
The rebels filed their nominations on Tuesday, which was the last day to file the papers. However, the last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 29. Thus both parties have now stepped up efforts to placate them to withdraw their candidatures