PK Dhumal’s wish to avenge 2017 poll defeat dashed

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, October 18

The BJP leadership has reportedly refused to give ticket to former Chief Minister PK Dhumal from Sujanpur in the 2017 Vidhan Sabha elections. He was nursing a desire to avenge his defeat at the hands of his one-time protégé Rajinder Rana in the forthcoming elections.

Party sources say that Dhumal (78) was actively campaigning in the Sujanpur segment in Hamirpur district for the past two years and was keen to contest elections. As Dhumal has a considerable following in the state, it was felt that the allotment of ticket to him could give rise to factionalism.

A senior party leader says, “The party top leadership has conveyed to Dhumalji that it will not be appropriate for him to contest and he has very humbly accepted the advice”. However, the official party version being given is that the former Chief Minster has himself refused to contest elections.

A senior leader says, “Dhumal’s name was under consideration but the BJP parliamentary board eventually felt he being in the fray could fan factionalism.”

Dhumal shares a close rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the days when the latter was the BJP in-charge in Himachal. Hence, it was expected that the party would honour his wish for ticket. The possibility of Dhumal contesting elections gained ground especially after Pushkar Singh Dhami, who had lost elections, was made the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.

It has been reliably learnt that Dhumal left Delhi for Hamirpur this morning after he was conveyed the party decision. His elder son Anurag Thakur is the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting. His younger son Arun Dhumal is BCCI Treasurer and is tipped to be the next chairman of the IPL.

Dhumal was shocked when he lost elections from Sujanpur by a margin of 1,919 votes though he was the chief ministerial face of the BJP. He faced humiliation at the hands of his own loyalist Rajinder Rana as he was made to shift from Hamirpur to Sujanpur at the last minute.

Dhumal became Chief Minister for the first time in 1998 after he won the Assembly election from the Bamsan constituency. He again became Chief Minister when the BJP came to power in 2003. He remained the Leader of the Opposition from 2013 to 2017. He was elected Lok Sabha MP in 1989 and 1991.

Was active in Sujanpur

• There was speculation that Dhumal can contest Assembly elections from Sujanpur to avenge his defeat in the 2017 poll
• Dhumal has been actively working in the constituency throughout the year