Race for BJP ticket hots up in Palampur

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, April 22

Though the Assembly elections in the state are due in November, the race for party ticket in the BJP has already begun in Palampur. Both faction of the BJP headed by MP Shanta Kumar and former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal have been making their claims for party tickets.

In the Shanta faction, there are three main claimants for the party ticket. Former BJP MLA Parveen Kumar Sharma, who was given the party ticket at the behest of Shanta Kumar in 2007 and 2012 Assembly elections, is also making efforts to get the ticket from Palampur. Besides, after the delimitation of constituencies, the native village of Parveen falls in the Sulaha constituency, where sitting MLA Bipan Parmar is a strong contender. Ravinder Ravi, MLA, Dehara Gopipur, is also a strong contender for from Palampur.

Besides, BJP district president Vinay Sharma is also making effort to get the ticket. In 2012 Assembly elections, he had missed the party ticket. He is also considered to be close to Shanta Kumar and is active in the youth wing of the party.

Former MLA from Baijnath Dulo Ram is also willing to contest the election from Palampur. Insiders in the party said the BJP wanted to put up a new face in Palampur who can be easily acceptable to the public.

In the Dhumal faction, former IPH Minister Ravinder Thakur is the lone contender for the party ticket from Palampur. He is considered the right-hand man of Dhumal. Earlier, Thakur had been contesting the Assembly election from the Thural constituency of Palampur region and was elected for the Assembly five times from Thural.

But after the delimitation of constituencies, in 2012 the Thural constituency was abolished by the EC. Thereafter, Thakur has shifted all his political activities to Palampur.

Thakur is a permanent resident of Palampur. In the present political scenario, he has turned up as one of the strong claimants for the ticket. He has already begun his election campaigning from Palampur by conducting “khula darbars” to hear public grievances, holding meeting in rural areas, attending party programmes and inaugurating projects.