BJP stalwarts Vijay Sampla, Som Parkash put up united front for Chabbewal bypoll

In a show of unity, BJP leaders Vijay Sampla and Som Parkash put aside their differences to support party nominee Sohan Singh Thandal’s nomination filing for the Chabbewal bypoll.

The two former union ministers, who had previously clashed over ticket allocation for the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat, appeared together alongside BJP leaders Tikshan Sud and Avinash Rai Khanna.

Sampla and Parkash had disagreements earlier this year, but party president Sunil Jakhar and senior leaders intervened to resolve the issue.

Thandal, a former Akali leader, filed his nomination papers after being announced as the BJP candidate.

The Chabbewal constituency has traditionally been a stronghold of AAP leader Raj Kumar Chabbewal.

BJP’s weak organisational structure and factionalism were cited as reasons for their poor performance in recent polls.

Sources revealed that Sampla was considered for the ticket but declined.

In the recent Lok Sabha polls, Thandal lost his security deposit, while AAP’s Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal won with a significant margin.

A senior BJP leader said, “BJP’s late start in preparing for the bypoll has put us at a disadvantage. Previously, Sampla had expressed interest in running for the Sham Chaurasi assembly poll, but the party declined his request. In the Lok Sabha election, our lack of unity and internal conflicts hurt our chances. Historically, we have relied on our own organisational structure and support from Akali votes, but this time we are going solo, relying on cadres across districts to establish a strong, independent presence, no matter the challenges.”

Former union minister Vijay Sampla expressed his wholehearted support for the party candidate, saying he would not contest the bypoll.