BJP rebel among 4 shortlisted for Dharamsala bypoll: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Dharamsala, April 21

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu today met Congress leaders from Dharamsala and Kangra district here. Sukhu, while talking to newsmen, said that the Congress had shortlisted four probable candidates for the Dharamsala Assembly bypoll. Interesting, the name of a BJP rebel also figures among the shortlisted candidates.

He said that the Congress had shortlisted Vijay Inder Karan, former Mayor of Dharamsala Davinder Jaggi, BJP rebel Rakesh Chaudhary and Sheilja Katoch, daughter-in-law of former Union minister Chander Kumari, as probables for the Dharamsala bypoll. The name of the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly byelections would be announced soon, he added.

Sukhu said that the Lok Sabha elections in the country and the six Assembly byelections in Himachal were about saving democracy. “The BJP has toppled elected governments in various states using money power. The BJP is power hungry and wants to grab power by any means. In Himachal also, the BJP has tried to topple the Congress government by engineering defections. However, I have high hopes that the people of Himachal will give a befitting reply to the BJP in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly bypoll to save democracy. The state will set an example for the country,” he added.

Sukhu accused the BJP of extending no help to the state during the monsoon disaster last year. “The state suffered losses of over Rs 10,000 crore but the Central Government did not give a special package. The Centre also did not declare the rain fury as a national disaster. The state government had to look into its meagre resources to help the people of the state. Our government announced a special package of Rs 4,500 crore for people, who had suffered losses due to the natural disaster,” he added.

Sukhu met ticket aspirants for the Dharamsala bypoll and the Kangra Lok Sabha seat. He also met Congress leaders from Kangra district to discuss the strategy for the forthcoming elections. From Dharamsala, Vipin Singh Nehria, former district president of the ST Cell of the BJP, also met the Chief Minister.

Later in the evening, Sukhu paid obeisance at the Chamunda Devi temple. He would stay in Dharamsala today night and hold parleys with Congress leaders to finalise a strategy for the forthcoming elections.