BJP battles dissent in Dehra, Dharamsala

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, March 26

Dissidence is brewing in Dharamsala and Dehra Assembly constituencies after the BJP nominated former Congress MLA Sudhir Sharma from Dharamsala and welcomed independent MLA in Dehra Hoshiar Singh in Dehra assembly constituency today. Hoshiar Singh has also joined BJP and resigned from Himachal assembly.

Leaders from cong being imported

I was talking to my supporters and would take a decision over future course of action after taking them into confidence. It was unfortunate that leaders from Congress were being imported into party as if there was dearth of leaders in party. Kishan Kapoor, Kangra MP

The BJP deputed former Speaker of Himachal Vidhan Sahha and BJP MLA from Sullah, Vipin Singh Parmar, today to placate the dissidence. He managed to bring all BJP leaders from Dharamsala on board, expect Kangra MP Kishan Kapoor, sources told The Tribune.

The sources also said that the state president of party Rajiv Bindal is expected to visit Dharamsala Assembly constituency on March 28 to welcome Sudhir Sharma into party.

Kishan Kapoor, the outgoing Kangra MP, who is also a Gaddi leader, is said to be unhappy over Sudhir Sharma being made BJP candidate from Dharamsala. When contacted by The Tribune, Kishan Kapoor said that he was talking to his supporters in Dharamsala and would take decision over future course of action after taking them into confidence. Kapoor, however, said that it was unfortunate that leaders from Congress were being imported into party as if there was dearth of leaders in party. There were many leaders in party who have given their life to party.

In Dehra today, independent MLA, Hoshiar Singh was welcomed by former minister and BJP MLA from Jaswan Pragpur, Bikram Thakur. A large rally was organised in Dehra to welcome Hoshiar Singh. However, former minister, Ramesh Dhawala was not present in the rally to welcome Hoshiar Singh. Ramesh Dhawala had contested the Assembly elections from Dehra on BJP ticket in 2022 but had lost to Hoshiar Singh who had contested as independent. He is said to be unhappy over inclusion of Hoshiar Singh into BJP.

Besides Dhawala, many local BJP leaders considered close to BJP MP from Hamirpur, Anurag Thakur were absent from the meeting.

Hoshiar Singh had joined the BJP earlier also before the last Assembly elections in 2022. He, however, resigned from party after being denied the ticket. He contested as independent and won the elections.

Bikram Thakur, while addressing the rally today, was all praise for Hoshiar Singh. He said it was the duty of party workers from Dehra to ensure Hoshiar Singh’s victory. He also said that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu demeaned his own party MLAs and independent MLAs due to which they left the membership of house and joined the BJP. The BJP would give respect to MLAs who have joined the party as they have fought for their self-respect and for their constituencies even at the cost of their membership, he said.

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