Former BJP minister Ram Lal Markanda addresses supporters in Lahaul-Spiti. Tribune Photo Jai Kumar
Mandi, March 26
Former minister and BJP leader Dr Ram Lal Markanda today announced that he would contest the Assembly byelection from Lahaul and Spiti as an Independent candidate or on the ticket of another party against BJP candidate Ravi Thakur. He also resigned from the party.
The BJP has fielded Congress rebel Ravi Thakur as its candidate for the Lahaul and Spiti Assembly byelection. The seat had fallen vacant after the Vidhan Sabha Speaker disqualified him. Ravi Thakur had cross-voted for BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the recently held Rajya Sabha elections. The party decision irked Markanda, who was hopeful of getting ticket to contest the byelection.
Markanda held a meeting with his supporters at Keylong and vented his anger against the BJP. He said, “The party had promised to give me ticket to contest the Lahaul and Spiti Assembly byelection but it betrayed me and fielded Ravi Thakur. We had strengthened the BJP with our blood when it was very weak in Lahaul and Spiti.”
He levelled corruption charges against Ravi Thakur and said, “The Congress rebel is against reservation granted under the tribal quota. Ravi Thakur had said that the advanced sections among tribals (i.e, the creamy layer) should be excluded from the list of beneficiaries of reservation.”
He added, “In deference to the desire of my supporters, I have decided to contest the Assembly byelection. I will soon decide whether I should contest the byelection as an Independent candidate or join another party.”
Markanda said that a majority of BJP office-bearers in Lahaul and Spiti also resigned after the party gave ticket to Ravi Thakur.
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