Arki bypoll: Ex-BJP MLA Govind Ram Sharma skips meeting

Tribune News Service

Solan, July 20

A meeting was convened by BJP state in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna at Arki today to select a strong candidate for the Assembly bypoll. The seat has fallen vacant after the death of MLA Virbhadra Singh.

It was attended by party organisational secretary Pawan Rana, district president Ashutosh Vaiya and Shimla Lok Sabha in-charge Purshottam Guleria.

Former MLA Govind Ram Sharma and Zila Parishad member Asha Parihar did not attend the meeting. Sharma is peeved at the indifferent treatment being meted out to him after he was denied ticket in the last elections. Though he was promised a post, he has been ignored by the party.

Sharma and Parihar, however, met senior leaders separately after the meeting at Arki. Sharma was trying to show his strength as two zila parishad members, including Asha Parihar, have openly come out in his support.

Sharma has expressed resentment against Rattan Pal, who had unsuccessfully contested the last Assembly poll against Virbahdra Singh and was made the chairman of the State Cooperative Development Federation in October last year.