Presence of 24 rebels may push up Independent MLAs' count in Himachal Pradesh

Pratibha Chauhan

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Shimla, November 6

Around 24 rebels of both BJP and Congress, including several former ministers and MLAs, are in the election fray.

As many as 62 Independents had been elected since 1962, with the highest 14 making it to the House in the 1967 Assembly elections. The first two elections in 1952 and 1957 were of the Territorial Council in which 13 and 16 Independents had won.

However, a majority of these Independents joined political outfits and lost their individual identity. It is only a handful of MLAs who managed to win the elections as Independents on more than one occasion. This includes former Speaker Thakur Sen Negi from Kinnaur, Kuldeep Pathania from Bhattiyat in Chamba and Rakesh Verma from Theog in Shimla district.

There are several senior leaders in Himachal who started their career as Independent MLAs but later joined political parties. They include Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh (Dharampur), who won his first election as an Independent in 1990, former minister and sitting BJP MLA Ramesh Dhawala (Jwalamukhi) and Gangu Ram Musafir of the Congress (Pachhad) in 1982. Denied Congress ticket, Musafir is again trying his fortune as an Independent.

However, the only Independent MLA, who maintained his individuality and stature, was former Speaker Thakur Sen Negi. Having retired as Chief Secretary of Himachal in 1966, he won four elections in 1967, 1972, 1977 and 1982 as an Independent. He later joined the BJP and won the 1990 election on its ticket.

Congress MLA from Bhattiyat Pathania won his first election on Congress ticket in 1985 but contested and won two elections as an Independent in 1993 and 2003 on being denied party ticket. He is again contesting from Bhattiyat on Congress ticket.

Another politician, who won elections as an Independent twice, was Rakesh Verma of the BJP. Verma, who passed away two years back, had won the first election as a BJP candidate in 1993. However, he contested as an Independent on being denied ticket and won twice in 2003 and 2007.

Verma’s widow Indu Verma had joined the Congress earlier this year in the hope of getting ticket. However, she returned to the BJP fold when the Congress denied her ticket but failed to get the ticket even from the saffron party. She is now trying her electoral fortunes as an Independent from Theog, represented by her husband thrice.