BJP may crack whip on those who did not work for party during Assembly bypolls in Himachal
Pratibha Chauhan
Shimla, July 15
The BJP could crack the whip on leaders who worked against the party candidates and remained inactive during the campaign for the three Assembly bypolls in Dehra, Nalagarh and Hamirpur.
The BJP had a lead of over 15,000 each from Dehra, Nalagarh and Hamripur in the parliamentary polls, but lost two of these seats within a gap of 40 days.
Party sources said the BJP could take action against leaders who did not contest as rebels but remained inactive and did not work for the party candidates in the three bypolls. The party has already expelled Harpreet Singh Saini, who ensured the defeat of the party candidate KL Thakur by polling 13,025 votes in Nalagarh.
The rebel factor coupled with resentment among the party cadres seems to have damaged the BJP in the Assembly bypolls. “We have to think seriously whether to open our doors for leaders from other parties and impose them on our loyal leaders and party cadres,” remarked an MLA.
The .held in Dharamsala, Gagret, Kutlehar, Sujanpur, Barsar, Lahaul-Spiti, Nalagarh, Dehra and Hamirpur could result in some major decisions by the BJP, including organisational changes. “The issue of action against all such leaders will be discussed at an appropriate forum,” said state BJP president Rajeev Bindal.
Bindal said BJP won all four Lok Sabha seats, Rajya Sabha election and three Assembly bypolls while the Chief Minister and his nine ministers could not get gain lead from their own constituencies in the parliamentary polls held recently. “The only achievement of the Congress is that it managed to save its government but has given people anarchy, deteriorating law and order, economic distress and debt burden,” said Bindal.
In Dehra constituency former ministers Ramesh Dhawala and Ravinder Singh Ravi openly aired their grouse against giving ticket to Hoshiyar Singh. They also did not campaign for party candidate.
Similarly, on the Hamirpur seat from where MLA Ashish Sharma managed to win, former MLAs Narinder Thakur and Urmil Thakur were hardly seen anywhere during the campaigning.
After his victory Ashish, without naming any leader, mentioned that had the party fought the bypoll unitedly, the result could have been better. As such, he clearly hinted at undercutting by BJP leaders in the bypoll which made the going tough for him.
Action likely against dissidents
- Action could ne taken against the leaders who did not contest as rebels but remained inactive in the three bypolls.
- The party has already expelled Harpreet Singh Saini, who ensured the defeat of the party candidate KL Thakur in Nalagarh Assembly constituency.
- The rebel factor coupled with resentment amongst the party cadres seems to have damaged BJP badly.
- Airing grouse against ticket to earlier Independent candidate Hoshiyar Singh, former ministers Ramesh Dhawala and Ravinder Ravi and did not campaign in Dehra constituency.
