Roles defined, BJP leaders get going for Dharamsala bypoll

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 9

The BJP today held parleys to discuss strategy regarding the forthcoming Dharamsala byelection. All senior leadership of party, including Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, state party in charge Mangal Pandey, state president of BJP Satpal Satti, BJP MP from Kangra Kishan Kapoor and party organising secretary Pawan Rana, participated at the meeting. The meeting continued till late evening yesterday and today morning also.

Sources here said party leaders discussed the names of various probable candidates from Dharamsala. Party leaders from Kangra, including ministers, were allotted the areas where they are supposed to work during the election campaign. The sources said Minister for Industries Bikram Thakur had been given Kotwali and McLeodganj, Minister for Town and Country Planning Sarveen Chaudhary given Jadrangal, BJP MLA from Jwalamukhi Sakoh and Deputy Speaker Hans Raj Dari area.

The Dharamsala byelection is a challenge to the party as a large number of party workers are aspiring for ticket. There are about 10 key contenders. The party leaders are apprehending that after the allotment of tickets, the left-out candidates might work against the selected candidate. Since election results have always been close in Dharamsala and the victory margin of candidates had always remained between 3,000 and 5,000 votes, the party does not want to take any chances.

The sources said though the party had deliberated on various probable candidates, a final decision over the candidate would be taken by the party high command.

The Chief Minister said, “The party is yet to decide on the candidate. However, we finalised the strategy for campaign. The BJP secured a lead of 18,000 from Dharamsala in the last parliamentary elections and in this Assembly bypoll, we will secure a lead of 20,000”.

Addressing a rally organised at Zorawar stadium in Dharamsala, Thakur thanked the people of the state for providing wholehearted support to the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

He said it was for the first time in the history that the BJP candidates succeeded in getting lead in all the 68 Assembly constituencies of the state.

The Chief Minister said the biggest achievement of the Union Government during the 100 days in office was scrapping of the Article 370 from Jammu Kashmir.

Jai Ram Thakur said the state government was giving top priority to development of Kangra district. He said that Dharamsala has been selected for organising the Global Investors Meet on November 7 and 8 this year.

Always a close contest

The Dharamsala byelection is a challenge to the party as a large number of party workers are aspiring for BJP ticket. Presently, there are about 10 key contenders for ticket. The party leaders are apprehending that after the allotment of ticket the left-out candidates might work against the selected candidates. Since elections results have always been close in Dharamsala and victory margin of candidates in Assembly elections has always remained between 3,000 and 5,000 votes, the party does not want to take any chances.

Jobs allotted

• Minister for Industries Bikram Thakur has been given Kotwali and McLeodganj
• Minister for Town and Country Planning Sarveen Chaudhary given Jadrangal
• BJP MLA  from Jwalamukhi Ramesh Dhwala will work in Sakoh
• Deputy Speaker Hans Raj to look after Dari