BJP steps up efforts to placate Shanta

SIGNIFICANCE Health minister JP Nadda gives assurance that party may rethink ticket allocation; the seasoned leader’s presence will help it win the important Kangra district

Amid growing discontent among ticket seekers in Himachal BJP, Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Wednesday rushed to Palampur to meet Shanta Kumar, the veteran saffron party leader.

Kumar is said to be miffed after some of his loyalists were denied tickets for the assembly polls slated for November 9.

Sources in BJP said that Nadda has been assigned the duty to placate a sulking Kumar, who is a force to be reckoned with in Kangra district.

Nadda, who arrived at Palampur in the morning, held a marathon two-hour closed-door meeting with Kumar at the latter’s residence. The meeting assumes significance — if Kumar opts out of the election campaign, it may hit BJP’s campaign in Kangra and consequently the mission to wrest power from Congress.

Kumar was a member of state election committee and also attended the meeting of central election panel headed by BJP national president Amit Shah.

But the party did not consider candidates of his choice. Kumar was pushing for ticket to his loyalist Parveen Sharma from Palampur assembly segment, the former’s home turf. However, BJP is keen to field Indu Goswami, state chief of BJP’s women’s wing — Bharatiya Janata Mahila Morcha — from there.

Sharma won his first election in 2007 when he defeated Congress bigwig Brij Behari Lal Butail. However, he lost the 2012 election by a big margin of 9,029 — the reason why the party is keen to replace him this time.

Apart from Sharma, Kumar’s close confidant, Kishan Kapoor, also lost the ticket race. Kapoor, a Gaddi leader, represented Dharamshala for four terms. He also served two terms as minister in the Prem Kumar Dhumal-led

DHARAMSHALA:

BJP regime. Kapoor lost to Congress’s Sudhir Sharma in the 2012 polls.

This has led to a 2012-like situation for BJP, when the party lost power due to infighting, particularly in Kangra, where many leaders who were denied tickets contested as independents.

While Kapoor has openly revolted against the party and has announced to contest as an independent, rumours say Sharma may also follow suit.

On Tuesday, BJP workers in Palampur had staged a protest at Kumar’s residence against denial of ticket to Sharma. The veteran leader had to step in to pacify protesters and told them that they should not lose patience until the final list is declared by the party.

Sharma’s supporters again gathered when Nadda arrived in Palampur on Wednesday.

Sources said Nadda has assured Kumar that the party may rethink the allocation for seats where tickets have not been finalised. The party says tickets for 51 seats are final and deliberation continues for the remaining 17. The party’s central leadership understands the importance of Kangra, which sends 15 legislators to the 68-member house, and Kumar can be instrumental in containing the rebellion and boost the party’s prospects.