BJP fields 3 ex-Independents for bypoll in Dehra, Nalagarh, Hamirpur, faces threat of rebellion

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, June 14

The BJP has decided to field three former Independent MLAs for the byelections in the Dehra, Nalagarh and Hamirpur Assembly constituencies on July 10. It will now have to deal with the imminent threat of rebellion by its own leaders and workers.

Former ministers may dent prospects

• In Dehra, two former ministers Ramesh Dhawala and Ravinder Ravi could dent the winning chances of Hoshiyar Singh
• Lakhwinder Rana, a former MLA, has already expressed resentment against the re-entry of KL Thakur into the BJP
• Ashish Sharma, too, is bound to face opposition from Narinder Thakur, a former MLA and son of senior BJP leader Jagdev Chand

The decision of the BJP’s Central Election Committee to give ticket to the three former Independents MLAs was on the expected lines but there was speculation that after losing four of the six Assembly byelections, the party could decide to rethink on the issue. The three former MLAs had resigned from the Vidhan Sabha and joined the BJP.

The BJP is likely to face the challenge of mollifying its leaders, who had contested the 2022 Assembly poll against these three former Independent legislators. Their resentment and possible attempts to undercut the poll prospects could once again cost the BJP dear. In fact, all three former Independent MLAs have the BJP background and were keen to get the party ticket. They had fought the 2022 Assembly elections as Independent candidates after they were denied the party ticket.

A section of the state BJP leaders was in favour of a rethink on the issue but it had little say in the matter, as it was a policy decision to be taken by the high command. Hoshiyar Singh has been fielded from Dehra in Kangra, KL Thakur from Nalagarh in Solan and Ashish Sharma from the Hamirpur seat.

Cross-voting by party leaders and workers was a major reason for the defeat of the BJP candidates in the Gagret, Kutlehar, Lahaul-Spiti and Sujanpur byelections recently. In fact, ID Lakhanpal, who had won the Barsar seat on the BJP ticket, has openly accused some party leaders of working against him in the byelection.

Interestingly, KL Thakur, a former BJP MLA, had won the 2022 Assembly election as a rebel candidate after the party denied him ticket. The BJP had fielded Lakhwinder Rana, a former MLA, but Thakur won the Nalagarh seat. Rana had already given vent to his resentment when Thakur was re-inducted into the party.

The situation in Dehra is even worse as two former ministers Ramesh Dhawala and Ravinder Ravi could play spoilsport and dent the winning chances of Hoshiyar Singh on the seat. Dhawala does not hesitate to speak his mind and has on a number of occasions caused embarrassment to his own government in the Vidhan Sabha.

Ashish Sharma, too, is bound to face opposition from Narinder Thakur, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2022 Assembly poll from Hamirpur. Narinder is a former MLA and son of senior BJP leader Jagdev Chand.