The BJP stirred controversy on Tuesday by announcing the candidacy of six disqualified Congress MLAs for the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly bypolls. This move sparked dissent among party members who had hoped to be nominated for these seats.
Shortly after the BJP's announcement, former minister Ram Lal Markanda resigned from the party, declaring his intention to contest the bypolls independently. Another BJP leader, Ranjit Singh, also announced his decision to run as an Independent candidate.
Expressing dissatisfaction, former minister Virender Kanwar, who was previously defeated by one of the Congress defectors, voiced his discontent with the party's decision.
The BJP nominated the six former MLAs for the same seats they held as Congress members before their disqualification.
The list of nominees includes Sudhir Sharma for Dharamshala, Ravi Thakur for Lahaul and Spiti, Rajinder Rana for Sujanpur, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal for Barsar, Chetanya Sharma for Gagret, and Devinder Kumar Bhutto for Kutlehar. All six had switched allegiance from the Congress to the BJP on March 23, following their disqualification for defying party orders during crucial votes.
Markanda's resignation came in protest against the nomination of Ravi Thakur, who had previously defeated him in the Lahaul and Spiti constituency. The entire BJP block unit of Lahaul Spiti resigned in solidarity with Markanda, pledging support to his independent candidacy.
Markanda, a former minister in the BJP government, was considered a frontrunner for the Lahaul and Spiti seat. He expressed his determination to contest the bypolls, possibly even under the Congress banner.
Meanwhile, Virender Kanwar criticized the party's decision to field Devinder Kumar Bhutto over himself in Kutlehar, stating that his constituents were disappointed. He urged the party to reconsider its decision through a fresh popularity survey in the area.
Ranjit Singh, who narrowly lost to his Congress rival in the previous assembly polls, declared his candidacy as an Independent, maintaining his support for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu alleged that some BJP leaders, including Markanda and Rakesh Kalia, were in contact with the Congress, hinting at political maneuvering.
The BJP's nominee list includes experienced politicians like Sudhir Sharma and Rajinder Rana, along with newcomers like Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto.
The disqualification of six Congress MLAs has reduced the ruling party's strength in the Assembly. Both the BJP and Congress have been engaged in a war of words since the Rajya Sabha polls, with the BJP accusing the Congress of attempting to destabilize the government through underhand tactics.
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