Sons rise on political horizon

Pratibha Chauhan

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Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 13

Even as dynastic politics seems to be the rule in the Congress, the saffron party too seems to have been bitten by this bug as offsprings of sitting ministers and MLAs are waiting in the wings to make their political debut.

Notwithstanding the condemnation of dynastic politics and the BJP rhetoric on the issue to hit out at the Gandhi family, there is no dearth of children of the established leaders who have staked a claim to their father’s political legacy. A glance at the two top political families of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his predecessor Prem Kumar Dhumal are a perfect example of dynastic politics being deeply rooted in Himachal politics.

The offsprings of 12 Congress ministers and MLAs are ready to take over the political mantle of their neta fathers. This includes Transport Minister GS Bali as his son Raghuvir Bali is keen to contest from the Kangra seat and Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur’s daughter Champa Thakur from Mandi (Sadar) or Jogindernagar.

As far as the BJP is concerned, they too propagated dynastic politics when they fielded Dr Anil Dhiman, son of former minister ID Dhiman from Bhoranj, in a bypoll earlier this year. Similarly, the party fielded Narinder Thakur, son of BJP stalwart Jagdev Chand in the Sujanpur bypoll in May 2014. The Congress has eight MLAs, including Anil Sharma, Sudhir Sharma, Rohit Thakur, Ajay Mahajan, Vinay Kumar, Ram Kumar, Neeraj Bharti and Yadvinder Goma, who have joined politics after their fathers.

Virbhadra, is the six-time CM while his wife Pratibha Singh had remained Lok Sabha MP from Mandi. Their 28-year son Vikramaditya Singh, also State Youth Congress president, has staked claim for the ticket from the Shimla (Rural) seat held by his father. Virbhadra is likely to shift to Theog if the party high command relaxes the one family-one ticket principle.

The state of affairs in the BJP is no different as former CM Dhumal’s son Anurag Thakur is a three-time MP from Hamirpur. Having remained the All-India president of the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha, he also briefly headed the BCCI, before resigning following court directives. The younger Arun Dhumal, though not active in electoral politics, has been at his father’s side, be it during elections or while firing salvos at Virbhadra, the arch-rival of his father.

Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri’s son Amit is rearing to contest from Chamba while his father will stick to Bharmour. Excise Minister Prakash Chaudhray’s son, Simple, a former NSUI president, is keen to contest from Balh. Ashray, grandson of former Telecommunications Minister Sukh Ram and son of Rural Development Minister Anil Sharma, surprised everyone when he threw his hat in the ring by stating that he was keen to contest from the Seraj segment.

Agriculture Minister Sujan Singh Pathankia could pave the way for his son in-law Ravi Thakur in Fatehpur in Kangra if the high command obliges. Assembly Speaker BBL Butail is keen to launch his son Ashish Butail from his own seat in Palampur. Aditya Vikram, son of former Ayurveda Minister Karan Singh, who passed away earlier this year, is also keen to enter the political arena.

Congress

Virbhadra is the six-time CM while his wife Pratibha Singh has remained Lok Sabha MP from Mandi

Their 28-year son Vikramaditya Singh, also State Youth Congress president, has staked claim to the ticket from the Shimla (Rural) seat held by his father. Virbhadra is likely to shift to Theog if the party high command relaxes the one family-one ticket principle

Bharatiya Janata Party

The state of affairs in the BJP is no different as former CM Dhumal’s son Anurag Thakur is a three-time MP from Hamirpur. Having remained the All-India president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, he also briefly headed the BCCI, before resigning following the court directive. The younger, Arun Dhumal, has been by his father’s side, be it during elections or while firing salvos at Virbhadra, the arch-rival of his father.

Dynastic politics

As far as the BJP is concerned, they too propagated dynastic politics when they fielded Dr Anil Dhiman, son of former minister ID Dhiman from Bhoranj, in a bypoll earlier this year. Similarly, the party fielded Narinder Thakur, son of BJP stalwart Jagdev Chand in the Sujanpur bypoll in May 2014. The Congress has eight MLAs who have joined politics after their fathers.