Denied ticket, Khimi Ram turns rebel

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Kullu, October 18

Distraught senior BJP leader and former Forest Minister Khimi Ram has decided to contest the elections from the Banjar constituency in Kullu district as an Independent against BJP candidate Surender Shourie.

Khimi Ram, who was eyeing the BJP ticket, had lost to Congress candidate Karan Singh in the last Assembly elections in 2012. He won the poll on the BJP ticket from the Banjar constituency two times (in 2003 and 2007) defeating his arch rival Congress candidate former Horticulture Minister Satya Prakash Thakur.

As soon as the news of the ticket allocation to Surender Shourie reached Khimi Ram, he lost his patience.

Talking to The Tribune he said: “I have worked tirelessly for the party. It is quite unfortunate that in the last minute, they ignored my efforts. I have decided to contest as an Independent and will soon have a meeting with my supporters to discuss the issue.”

Resentment of the senior BJP leader against the party high command may prove crucial for the new BJP candidate in the Banjar constituency, which can do a considerable damage to the party. At present, Surender Shourie is the zila parishad member and is considered close to Manali BJP MLA Govind Thakur, an RSS ideology believer.

The Congress is likely to field Aditya Vikram Singh, the son of the late Ayurveda Minister, Karan Singh, from Banjar because his father defeated BJP candidate Khimi Ram in the last elections. However, the Congress is yet to declare the final list of candidates.

Poll analysts say it will be interesting to see if the BJP high command will be able to persuade distraught senior BJP leader Khimi Ram to work in favour of the BJP candidate, which will be a decisive factor for the party. In Mandi district, earlier the Block Committee of the BJP was opposing the induction of Congress rebel Anil Sharma in the BJP, but later they bowed to the pressure of the party high command. A similar situation is being expected in Banjar. The distressed BJP leader has tried to contact the Congress leadership to get the ticket, but his demand was rejected. Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said: “I was contacted by a loyalist of Khimi Ram, but we turned down his demand.”