Is Shanta Kumar losing relevance in HP politics?
FOR THE PARTY, WHICH SAW ITS EMERGENCE IN KANGRA DISTRICT IN THE EARLY 1980S, SHANTA KUMAR WAS THE MOST SALEABLE FACE FOR DECADES
DHARAMSHALA: The founder member of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the hill state, veteran leader Shanta Kumar has remained a force to reckon with in Himachal Pradesh.
For the party, which saw its emergence in Kangra district in the early 1980s, Shanta was the most saleable face for decades.
Starting his career in 1963, when he was elected panch of village panchayat in Palampur, he became the first non-Congress chief minister of the state at 43. The Janata Party (JNP) government he headed couldn’t complete the full term and was pulled down in 1980. Same year, the BJP’s Himachal unit was founded in Jawalmaukhi and the former RSS pracharak was the sole face of the party. He returned to head the state in 1990 but his government faced the 1977 fate — this time his government was dismissed in the aftermath of the Babri mosque demolition.
In the later part of the 90s, he faced a leadership challenge from Prem Kumar Dhumal, who went on to become the chief minister in 1998. Shanta quietly shifted to the central politics, where he was given cabinet berth in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
The veteran leader has now announced to quit the electoral politics, but says he remains committed to the party.
OUTSPOKEN, MAN OF PRINCIPLES
The 83-year-old leader, who is known to be a man of principles, is also very outspoken.
He has often faced wrath of own party leaders for calling a spade a spade. He was the first to criticize Narender Modi-led Gujarat government for failing to contain violence in Godhra in 2002 and had ultimately to quit the government.
As in-charge of Karnataka unit of the party, Shanta Kumar openly demanded the party to remove chief minister BS Yed- durappa, who was facing corruption charges.
Most recently in 2015, he shot off a letter to party president Amit Shah, over corruption allegation against BJP leaders in Rajasthan and Maharashtra and demanding ombudsman like Lokpal in the party to tackle such cases.
Even as the party snubbed him for going to media, the veteran leader stood by his words.
With the BJP having announced Prem Kumar Dhumal as its CM face for November 9 election, the saffron party’s campaign is set to gather more steam.
Though the veteran leader is seen campaigning for party candidates, but not like he did in previous elections. Rallies he addresses get a little attention, even on the party’s account on social networking sites.