BJP discusses threat rebels pose in various Himachal Assembly segments

Shimla, November 20

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today said that the BJP had fought the elections aggressively and remained ahead of the Congress in every aspect.

Thakur was speaking at the BJP’s election management committee meeting held at Parwanoo today. Apart from the Chief Minister, the meeting was attended by state BJP president Suresh Kashyap, Mangal Pandey, Rajeev Bindal, Rajiv Bhardwaj and Pawan Rana. “The BJP workers toiled hard all 365 days, resulting in the BJP managing the elections very well,” the Chief Minister said.

Keep all channels open: Kashyap

• BJP state president Suresh Kashyap is learnt to have said the party must keep the channels of communication open with the rebels
• There are about 12 BJP rebels who are giving tension to the party as they could make a dent in their vote bank

Thakur expressed happiness that leaders of all political parties maintained dignity in political discourse in the course of the election campaign.

During the campaign for the last Assembly elections in 2017, the level of political debate and allegations had hit an all-time low and the then state BJP president had made objectionable utterances, forcing the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ban him from campaigning for some time.

“Never before has it happened that each and every election rally and meeting, proposed by the party, was held during the campaign,” said Thakur.

A majority of the BJP candidates from the 68 Assembly segments have personally met the Chief Minister after the polling on November 12 to give the feedback on their performance.

It is reliably learnt that discussion on each of the 68 Assembly segments was undertaken to assess how the BJP would perform in the recently concluded Vidhan Sabha polls.

The leaders held discussion on the Assembly segments, where the rebels had caused considerable damage to the BJP’s official candidates.

Kashyap is learnt to have said that the party must keep the channels of communication open with the rebels in case their support was required for the formation of the BJP Government in Himachal after December 8. There are about 12 BJP rebels who are giving tension to the saffron party as they could make a dent in the party’s vote bank.

All the senior leaders expressed satisfaction over the party’s election management with regard to publicity, supply of election material and managing the election rallies.

The Chief Minister left for Delhi after the meeting to take part in the campaign for the Delhi Municipal Corporation election. He is expected to return to the state capital on Tuesday.