Shimla: Rebel leaders in the BJP and Congress have affected the political equation ahead of the next month's Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. Many disgruntled leaders are either contesting independently in the election or have fielded their candidates and can play a crucial role in the government formation in the hill state.
Polling in the state is to be held on November 12 and results will be declared on December 8. Be it BJP or Congress, both parties are battling with the rebellion by disgruntled leaders. The BJP has dropped Maheshwar Singh, veteran leader and former state president from the Kullu Sadar seat giving the ticket to Narottam Singh.
This has angered Maheshwar Singh, who is likely to contest as an independent candidate. In Kangra, the largest district of the state, BJP is again facing rebellion in Fatehpur seat where it has given a ticket to Rakesh Pathania much to the anger of Kripal Parmar. The BJP has given a ticket to Pawan Kajal, who left the Congress from Kangra.
This has angered party loyalist Kulbhash Chaudhary. The Congress, too, is facing a rebellion in the Kangra district as well with Jagjivan Pal angry over not getting a Congress ticket for the seat. Sushil Kaul from Jaisinghpur is also upset over not getting a ticket from Congress. The party has made Yadavendra Goma its candidate for the seat.
Also read: BJP changes Kullu Sadar candidate on last day for filing of nominations
Panku Kangaria wanted a BJP ticket in Shahpur, but the party has given the ticket to Sarveen Chaudhary. Vipin Nehria and Anil Chaudhary, who are seeking BJP tickets from Dharamsala, too, are angry. In Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur's home district Mandi, BJP's youth leader Praveen Sharma has embarrassed the party by fielding an independent in Mandi Sadar seat. Praveen Sharma was annoyed by the constant neglect and this time too especially after BJP fielded Anil Sharma from Mandi seat.
Apart from Praveen Sharma, Mahendra Singh Thakur's daughter Vandana Guleria is also angry about not getting a ticket, which has been given to Singh's son Rajat Thakur. In Kinnaur, BJP made Surat Negi its candidate, leaving former MLA Tejwant Negi angry. Likewise, former MLA KL Thakur got angry when BJP gave a ticket to Lakhwinder Singh Rana, who left Congress from the Nalagarh seat of Solan district.
Similarly, Congress sitting MLA Sanjay Awasthi has again secured a ticket from Arki with Rajendra Thakur filing his nomination as an independent candidate. Sanjeev Sharma of the BJP elder brother of late BJP leader Rakesh Sharma Babli has filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate from the Barsar assembly constituency. Sanjeev Sharma is the.
It was expected that the BJP would field a member of the family of Rakesh Sharma Babli in the electoral fray. Still, the party has expressed confidence in the family of BJP District President Baldev Sharma. Likewise, Congress has given the ticket to party general secretary Rajneesh Kimta from the Chopal seat of Shimla district resulting in a rebellion by MLA Subhash Mangalet.
Mangalet, who has levelled serious allegations against party in-charge Rajiv Shukla will contest as an independent. Another veteran Congress leader and former Assembly Speaker GR Musafir was denied a ticket and he is also fighting as an independent. When Rakesh Verma's wife Indu Verma was not given a ticket after joining the BJP, she filed the form as an independent candidate. It is believed that rebels in the BJP may play a spoilsport for the party in the elections.
