Pachhad: BJP faces rebellion, two leaders to contest as Independents
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Himachal Pradesh faced rebellion in Pachhad Vidhan Sabha seat where two of it’s members jumped into poll fray after being denied ticket from the segment, even as greenhorn Reena Kashyap filed nomination in presence of chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday.
Defying party’s decision to cede candidature in the constituency to Kashyap, former ABVP activist Ashish Sikta and Zila Parishad member Dayal Pyari filed papers as Independents.
Both Sikta and Pyari names figured in list of panel forwarded by the core committee of Himachal BJP to the high command. The duo hail from Rajgarh region. Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur himself made several frantic calls to the two leaders, urging them to steer clear from the poll fray in party’s interest.
BJP’s student wing ABVP had strongly vied for the ticket for Sikta, who also remained the state secretary of the student organisation for long while Pyari was considered as one of the top contender till few months back.
She fell off with local leader Baldev Bhandhari and had filed a complaint against him, later withdrawn, for pushing her on the stage in the presence of the CM. “The party has meted out injustice to me. I had served the BJP dedicatedly for years. I am seeking justice from PM Modi,” the teary-eyed leader said. “I had also sought intervention of the CM but he declined my request,” she added. On the other hand, Sikta recalled his college days and talked about his association with the party since then.
“I stood by the party through thick and thin,” he said.
RAIN PLAYS SPOILSPORT
Meanwhile, the BJP has fielded former Sirmour Zila Parishad member Reena Kashyap from Pachhad constituency while the Congress has pitted Gangu Ram Musafir against her.
The 37-year-old Kashyap, who hails from backward trans-Giri region of Sirmaur district, was accompanied by CM Thakur and Lok Sabha member Suresh Kashyap while local leaders, including BJP state vice-president Chander Mohan Thakur and Baldev Bhandari were also present.
The saffron party had planned to put up a show of strength to mark nomination filing but the proposed plan was dampened by continuous rain. Thakur, who was to fly by chopper to Rajgarh from Shimla and later to Dharamshala, had to travel by road.
Kashyap, co-convenor of the IT cell of the state Bharatiya Janata Mahila Morcha, is up against veteran Congress leader Gangu Ram Musafir , who has a record of the seven straight wins in the Vidhan Sabha. The leader filed papers in the presence of state party chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore among other leaders. Dinesh Arya filed his papers as a “covering” candidate for the Congress.
Pawan Kumar and Surender Pal also filed their papers as independent candidates.