Ticket aspirants miffed, BJP faces tough task in Mandi

Tribune News Service

Dipender Manta

Mandi, March 31

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur is struggling hard to pacify BJP dissidents, who are miffed by the decision of BJP high command to give party ticket to Kangana Ranaut to contest the Lok Sabha election from Mandi parliamentary constituency. The former Chief Minister is holding closed-door meetings with BJP leaders who were ticket aspirants to contest the Lok Sabha election from Mandi seat.

A few days ago, Thakur held a closed-door meeting with BJP leader and former MP Maheshwar Singh, who vented his anger against the BJP, when Kangana was declared a BJP candidate from Mandi seat.

Maheshwar Singh criticised the BJP by alleging that the party had double standards. He said that “During the last Assembly elections, the BJP took party ticket back from me by saying that according to party rule, the BJP could not give ticket to two members of one family, father and son. Now, the same BJP has given ticket to actor Kangana Ranaut, who was not even a member of the party. There is a strong resentment against the BJP candidate Kangana.”

Jai Ram Thakur tried to pacify the agitated Maheshwar Singh, who has strong base in Kullu district. According to sources, an angry Maheshwar Singh clearly sent message to the party high command through Jai Ram that such neglect of senior party leaders was not acceptable. However, it is yet not clear that Maheshwar Singh will campaign in Kullu in favour of BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut or not.

In Lahaul and Spiti district, the office-bearers of BJP were angry by the decision of BJP high command to give party ticket to Congress rebel MLA Ravi Thakur to contest the byelection in Lahaul and Spiti. The Assembly seat fell vacant in Lahaul and Spiti after Ravi Thakur was disqualified by the Assembly Speaker from HP Vidhan Sabha for cross voting in the Rajya Sabha election. Jai Ram Thakur visited Lahaul two days ago and he held a meeting with BJP office-bearers who were ticket aspirants.

In a recent development, when ex-servicemen expressed their displeasure over the BJP decision, Jai Ram Thakur rushed to the house of Kargil War hero Brigadier Khushal Thakur (retd) to pacify him, who was also a ticket aspirant. In the 2021 Lok Sabha byelection, Khushal Thakur lost by a narrow margin of votes.

The stake are high for Jai Ram Thakur to ensure victory of BJP candidate actor Kangana Ranaut from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat.

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