Ending speculation, BJP's former Shimla MP Virender Kashyap attends party meet

Ambika Sharma

Solan, April 4

Amid speculation of BJP’s former Shimla MP Virender Kashyap joining the Congress and being fielded from Shimla, the leader today attended the BJP’s mandal-level meeting held here today.

Virender Kashyap, who remained MP Shimla for two consecutive terms in 2009 and 2014, was denied ticket in 2019. He was replaced by Suresh Kashyap who retained the Shimla seat for the BJP in 2019 and has been fielded again.

Virender Kashyap lost ticket on two earlier occasions to his kin. Though he was keen to contest the Vidhan Sabha election from Solan in 2022, but the party offered the ticket to his brother Rajesh Kashyap. In 2019, too, when he aspired for the Shimla Lok Sabha ticket, his kin Suresh Kashyap was instead chosen as the party’s candidate.

Virender Kashyap’s name was mooted by Solan MLA and Health and Family Welfare minister DR Shandil before the All-India Congress Committee earlier this year when the party met for the first time to ponder over the probable candidates.

It was learnt that he had also met the Chief Minister with a local Congress leader a few days ago in Shimla. Virender Kashyap could join the Congress if he was offered a ticket though he was not keen to join the party merely to remain a member.

Efforts to placate him and ensure he remained within the party fold were made by senior BJP leaders, including BJP state president Rajiv Bindal, BJP’s sitting MP and candidate for the Shimla seat Suresh Kashyap among others.

It remains to be seen whether the Congress would grant him the ticket though he was not active in the constituency since the past several years. Whether he would manage to pose a threat to BJP’s Suresh Kashyap remains to be seen if the Congress chooses him as their nominee.

Despite persistent calls, Virender Kashyap declined to take any calls thus leaving speculations of his joining the Congress open.

Elected in 2009, 2014

• Virender Kashyap, who remained MP Shimla for two consecutive terms in 2009 and 2014, was denied ticket in 2019. He was replaced by Suresh Kashyap who retained the Shimla seat for the BJP in 2019 and has been fielded again.
• Though he was keen to contest the Vidhan Sabha election from Solan in 2022, the party offered the ticket to his brother Rajesh Kashyap. In 2019, too, when he aspired for the Shimla Lok Sabha ticket, his kin Suresh Kashyap was instead chosen as the party’s candidate.
• Efforts to placate him and ensure he remained within the party fold were made by senior BJP leaders