MPs on core panel, hopefuls upset

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 16 

The decision of the state BJP to re-nominate all four sitting MPs has not gone down well with ticket aspirants, who are now questioning the procedure adopted for selection of the candidates. 

The ticket aspirants are questioning the justification for including the sitting MPs in the core committee, which is recommending the names to the Centre. 

“Being members of the core committee, sitting MPs are recommending their own names,” said a party leader, adding that the selection process should be fair, impartial and objective.

The party had all along maintained that winning candidates with a clean image would be given ticket on the basis of the survey, but now the party seems to have changed its stand as it is upbeat after the attack on terrorist camps at Balakot.  

The BJP is enthused and is of the firm view that “no experiment with new candidates will imply no rift” and repeating the sitting members is the best bet.

However, a piquant situation has arisen as the sitting MPs have already launched their campaign and even Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur addressed a meeting in support of Ramswaroop Sharma, sitting MP from Mandi, virtually brushing aside the claim of Ashray Sharma, son of Power Minister Anil Sharma, who joined the party before the Assembly elections. 

The party cadres are also unhappy as the claim of Brig Khushal Singh Thakur (retd) is being ignored and maintained that on the one hand, the BJP was banking on surgical strikes, while on the other, it was not giving ex-servicemen their due in the allotment of party ticket. Claimants from Shimla (reserved) parliamentary constituency were hoping that the sitting MP, Virender Kashyap, would be changed, but the party had not sent any signal that it would field a new candidate. 

Some aspirants like HN Kashyap, who had resigned from the state administration services in 2004 to contest the Lok Sabha poll, has extensively toured the constituency and visited all 17 Assembly segments. “As per the inputs available with me, my name figured on the survey list. I am hopeful that I won’t be denied ticket this time,” Kashyap said.

From Hamirpur, Suresh Chandel, a three-time MP, is seeking ticket, while youth BJYM leaders and former minister are eyeing ticket from Kangra.

BJP changes stand

• The party had all along maintained that winning  candidates with a clean image would be given ticket on the basis of the  survey, but now the party seems to have changed its stand. 
• The sitting MPs have already started campaigning and even Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur addressed a meeting in support of  Ramswaroop Sharma, sitting MP from Mandi, brushing aside the  claim of Ashray Sharma, son of Power Minister Anil Sharma, who joined  the party before the Assembly elections. 
• From Hamirpur, Suresh Chandel, a three-time MP, is seeking ticket, while youth BJYM leaders and former minister are eyeing ticket from Kangra.