Assuaging ex-CM Dhumal, aggrieved loyalists challenge for BJP

KS Tomar

The BJP seems to be far ahead of the ruling Congress in preparations for the Lok Sabha polls, as which is evident from the 10 programmes of national president JP Nadda, two visits of Nitin Gadkari and frequent statewide tours of Anurag Thakur across the state’s four parliamentary seats.

The early declaration of the candidates has motivated the party workers and leaders who were feeling completely demoralised after three successive defeats in the Assembly polls, Shimla Municipal Corporation election and three Assembly bypolls as well as the Mandi Lok Sabha bypoll.

But against this backdrop, everything seems not so smooth in the BJP as visible on the surface, especially after six Congress MLAs joined the party and were allotted tickets, thereby ignoring the candidates who had fought the election against these “turncoats”.

Political observers say the high command’s decision has directly hit the loyalists of former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal who was also completely ignored the during previous BJP regime, though he may deny this.

It is an open secret that ex-CM, Jai Ram Thakur, is considered a staunch loyalist of another ex-CM, Shanta Kumar who was regularly consulted by the former while in office. The BJP central and state leaders know that Dhumal’s annoyance, even “latent one”, may heavily cost these defectors in Hamirpur district, hence efforts have been made to assuage his hurt.

feelings. Ironically, BJP has admitted Rajender Rana who had defeated Dhumal in the 2017 Assembly election from the Sujanpur constituency.

But politics is a strange game which brings together adversaries for mutual gains. Experts believe that there are some compelling factors which may force Dhumal to digest such humiliation which can be attributed to his commitment and unflinching loyalty to the organisation.

Due to this compulsion, the onus will lie on Dhumal to persuade his loyalists to work for the defectors, hence he has already expressed his sentiments to keep the organisation above personal preferences. Dhumal has said that the affected leaders and workers will fall in line with the passage of time, as the BJP is a cadre-based and disciplined party unlike the Congress, hence will win all six Assembly seats of new entrants.

State BJP chief Dr Rajiv Bindal says efforts made by the central and state leaders have been successful to convince the leaders and they have started campaigning for the new entrants who have been allotted party tickets.

In the final assessment, it is difficult to predict the certainty of aggrieved leaders to get tickets in 2027 though the BJP is capable of dumping the defectors which has been witnessed in several states.

No smooth sailing

• Everything seems not so smooth in the BJP as visible on the surface, especially after six Congress MLAs joined the party and were allotted tickets, thereby ignoring the candidates who had fought the election against these ‘turncoats’.
• Observers say the high command’s decision has directly hit the loyalists of ex-CM Prem Kumar Dhumal who was also completely ignored the during previous BJP regime, though he may deny this

— The writer is a political analyst and senior journalist based in Shimla