Manglate–Nadda meeting sparks buzz over possible raalignments in Chopal ahead of 2027 polls
Shimla, Dec 3,
A brief courtesy call by former Congress MLA Subhash Manglate on BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda at the party headquarters in New Delhi has set off a new round of political chatter in Himachal Pradesh. Though formally described as a routine greeting, the interaction is being read as a possible indicator of shifting loyalties in the run-up to the next Assembly elections.
Manglate, a two-time legislator from Chopal, has long occupied an unpredictable space in the constituency’s politics. After consecutive victories on a Congress ticket, he was unseated in 2012 by Balbir Verma, who contested as an Independent. Manglate briefly regained prominence but was eventually overlooked by the Congress in 2022, when the party chose Rajneesh Khimta as its candidate. He entered the fray as an Independent that year, retaining a loyal support base and distancing himself from the Congress thereafter.
His latest outreach to the BJP’s top leadership is being interpreted within ruling party circles as a deliberate repositioning. With the saffron camp preparing to recalibrate its strategies across key seats, Manglate’s gesture is being viewed by insiders as an attempt to signal his willingness to integrate into the BJP’s political orbit.
The development has also stirred speculation around Chopal’s three-term MLA Balbir Verma, who joined the BJP after his Independent victory and has since consolidated considerable organisational influence. Sources in the party suggest that Verma’s growing acceptability—particularly among government employees and sections of the urban electorate—has prompted internal discussions about potentially shifting him to Shimla Urban in the future.
Such a move, if it materialises, could reopen the political turf in Chopal, positioning Manglate as a possible aspirant for a BJP ticket. A senior Congress functionary, commenting on the emerging dynamics, remarked that if Verma is eventually relocated, “Chopal could again become a sharply contested battleground, with Manglate naturally projecting himself as a strong claimant on the BJP side.”
For now, the Nadda–Manglate meeting has injected fresh uncertainty into Himachal’s political landscape, highlighting the fluidity of allegiances and the behind-the-scenes manoeuvring quietly reshaping the state’s pre-election environment.
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The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.
