Ex-MP’s son, dissidents from Mandi BJP hold meet; may make going tough for Kangana Ranaut

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, March 29

Three local BJP leaders held a meeting with other five party leaders from the Mandi parliamentary constituency in Pandoh. After they were denied ticket in the 2022 Assembly elections, the trio had rebelled against the BJP and contested the elections as Independent candidates. These dissidents can spoil the calculations of the BJP and the prospects of its candidate in the Lok Sabha elections.

Former BJP MP Maheshwar Singh’s son Hiteshwar Singh, former state BJP general secretary Ram Singh and former Anni MLA Kishori Lal Sagar attended the meeting. In the last Assembly elections Ram Singh had secured 11,937 out of 71,165 votes polled. He had secured 15,597 out of 57,165 votes polled in the 2012 Assembly elections on BJP ticket in the Kullu Sadar constituency. Hiteshwar had bagged 14,932 of 61,908 votes polled in the Banjar constituency while Kishori Lal had secured 6,893 of 67,468 votes polled in the Anni constituency in the last Assembly elections. Kishori Lal had won the 2017 elections on BJP ticket by securing 30,559 votes out of 61,989 votes.

Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was in Kullu on March 26 night and he tried to pacify Maheshwar Singh but the very next day the former MP’s son Hiteshwar was busy making strategies with eight disgruntled BJP leaders. Ram Singh had distanced himself from the party after he was denied ticket for the Assembly elections. He said that the state BJP leadership was embracing Congress leaders but those who had given their entire life to the party were being ignored.

Now, the three leaders from the district along with five others from Mandi have come together on one platform and this may be a cause for concern for the BJP.

Further, former minister Ram Lal Markanda rebelled after the BJP fielded Congress rebel Ravi Thakur in the Lahaul-Spiti Assembly byelection. Upset Maheshwar Singh and Markanda may make the going tough for Kangana.