Shimla, May 17
Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha and bye elections for six assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh, the ruling BJP has suspended former minister and three-time Assembly member Ram Lal Markanda, along with Rakesh Chaudhary, the party candidate from the Dharmshala constituency in the 2022 assembly elections.
In a notice issued by BJP president Rajiv Bindal, it was stated that both individuals are contesting the bye-election from Lahaul-Spiti and Dharmshala Legislative Assembly as independent candidates, directly opposing the official party nominees. This act of rebellion is considered a serious breach of party discipline.
Rajiv Bindal emphasized that disciplinary action was necessary due to their defiance of party directives. Consequently, both Markanda and Chaudhary have been suspended from the BJP for six years, effective immediately.
In the 2022 assembly elections, Markanda and Chaudhary were unsuccessful on the BJP ticket. Despite their long-standing contributions to the party, the BJP extended candidacy to former Congress members Ravi Thakur and Sudhir Sharma, sidelining the two loyalists. Feeling betrayed, Markanda and Chaudhary sought Congress tickets for the bye-elections. However, with opposition from the local Congress committee, they chose to run as independent candidates.
Efforts by BJP president Rajiv Bindal to persuade the duo to withdraw their nominations in favor of party interests proved futile. They proceeded to file their candidacies independently, joining at least four other former party members in the electoral race against the BJP’s official candidates.
Compounding the issue, Captain Ranjeet Rana, a loyalist of former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, was given a ticket by the Congress to contest against the incumbent Congress MLA Rajinder Rana. Similarly, Rakesh Kalia, another BJP dissident, received a Congress ticket for Gagret, running against disqualified Congress MLA and current BJP candidate Chaitanya Sharma.
The decision by Markanda and Chaudhary to contest independently has led to a complicated electoral scenario. Their candidacies have introduced triangular contests in several constituencies, potentially impacting the prospects of Congress dissidents.
The aftermath of these developments is reminiscent of the 2022 assembly elections, where over 17 BJP rebels significantly affected the party’s performance, resulting in narrow margins of defeat in several seats. The current political climate suggests that the BJP might face similar challenges.
The upcoming elections hold significant weight, especially for Union Minister Anurag Thakur, whose fate may be influenced by the simultaneous bye-polls in four assembly constituencies within the Hamirpur Parliamentary constituency.
Himachal Pradesh is set to vote in the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections, along with six bye-elections, on June 1, 2024. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.
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