All eyes on representation in Union ministry, byelections

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 26

After hectic campaigning in the long-drawn elections, massive victory and the celebrations, all eyes are now on the representation to the state in the Union ministry and byelections to two Assembly constituencies which fell vacant due to election of sitting MLAs, Suresh Kashyap and Krishan Kapoor to the Lok Sabha.

“There is nothing to discuss and suddenly a vacuum has been created. The only thing left is to speculate on who would be inducted into the Modi Cabinet from Himachal”, said a senior leader.

Senior BJP leader Jagat Prakash Nadda is already a Cabinet minister and the possibility of inducting any new minister into the Union ministry would arise only if he is given some other responsibility. As his name is doing rounds for the post of party chief in case Amit Shah joins the Cabinet, there are chances that either four-time MP from Hamirpur Anurag Thakur or Kishan Kapoor, Cabinet minister in the present Jai Ram Thakur government, could be accommodated in the Union ministry.

The byelections to Pachhad and Dharamsala Assembly constituencies are fresh challenges for the BJP as there are not many established leaders in these constituencies and maintaining the lead that the party candidates got in Lok Sabha elections in these segments would be a herculean task.

“We can’t afford to be complacent as byelections are crucial after massive mandate given to the BJP by the people in the Lok Sabha elections. Our cadres would have no break and continue to work ensuring huge win in the byelections,” said state party chief Satpal Singh Satti.

“Our booth management in the elections was excellent and it yielded dividends. We are hopeful of setting up new records in the by-elections which would be fought on local issues”, he added.

“The BJP is in power in the state and party cadres are enthused with huge win in Lok Sabha elections while the opposition Congress is demoralized after humiliating defeat. This will be a major factor in the byelections,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, lobbying is on for two posts of minister that fell vacant due to the resignation of Anil Sharma and election of Krishan Kapoor to the Lok Sabha but it is not yet certain whether Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will fill the posts after the byelections likely to be held along with the Haryana Assembly elections in September/October or take up this ticklish exercise immediately as there are several contenders for two vacancies.

Probable scenario

• Senior leader JP Nadda is already a Cabinet minister and the possibility of inducting any new minister into the Union ministry would arise only if he is given some other responsibility. 
• As his name is doing rounds for the post of party chief if Amit Shah joins the Cabinet, there are chances that either four-time MP from Hamirpur Anurag Thakur or Kishan Kapoor, Cabinet minister in the present Jai Ram Thakur government, could be accommodated in the Union ministry.

Pachhad, Dharamsala Assembly bypoll

The byelections to Pachhad and Dharamsala Assembly constituencies are fresh challenges for the BJP as there are not many established leaders in these constituencies and maintaining the lead that the party candidates got in Lok Sabha elections in these segments would be a herculean task.