Himachal Pradesh: On eve of PM’s Mandi visit, BJP grapples with rebels

MANDI:  Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur fondly calls Mandi as “my Mandi” as he comes from the Seraj constituency in the district. Another constituency in the district Dharampur is represented by State Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur. The two seats are considered ‘safe’ for the BJP for the polls due in the state on November 12. 

The district with 10 Assembly segments is a BJP stronghold. However, in the other eight seats, it is a tough call for the ruling party which in the 2017 polls, had all the seats in its kitty. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a rally in the Sundernagar Assembly segment on November 5. In Sundernagar, the BJP is facing a rebellion from the state’s former minister Roop Singh’s son Abhishek Thakur who is contesting against the official candidate of the saffron party, Rajesh Jamwal, a close aide of the CM.

Chief Minister Thakur is a five-time MLA. His battle cry in the election is: ‘Yeh Seraj ke samman ki ladaai hai (this is a battle for the honour of Seraj).’ The 10 Assembly segments are: Mandi, Seraj, Balh, Sundernagar, Dharampur, Darang, Karsog, Nachan, and Sarkaghat. BJP rebels are playing spoilsport in three seats — Mandi, Nachan and Sundernagar.

The main issue in the region is equitable land compensation in highway projects, which is affecting around five Assembly segments. The Mandi seat was the stronghold of veteran Congress leader and former Union minister late Sukh Ram and is currently represented by his son Anil Sharma. Sharma is the BJP MLA and a former minister in the Jai Ram Thakur cabinet but resigned. Anil did not campaign for the BJP in the 2019 parliamentary polls in Mandi as his son Ashray was contesting on the Congress ticket against the then-sitting BJP MP Ramswaroop Sharma.

Before joining the saffron camp, Anil was in Congress. The BJP has again shown confidence in him, giving him the party ticket, as he is the sitting MLA. However, he is pitted against BJP rebel Parveen Sharma and Congress candidate Champa Thakur, the daughter of Congress leader and former state cabinet minister Kaul Singh Thakur.

The district has a 44% upper caste population and both Anil and Parveen are from the same community. Congress’ Champa Thakur is a Rajput and the community comprises about 30% of the population.
“Chief Minister Thakur’s charisma will prevail and our party will win all 10 seats. I have been instrumental in the facilitation of development works in my constituency,” says BJP MLA Sharma.
His opponents, however, describe him as someone “missing in action.”

Modi to visit Sundernagar today
PM Modi is scheduled to address a rally in the Sundernagar Assembly segment on Saturday. The BJP faces a rebellion here from the state’s former minister Roop Singh’s son Abhishek Thakur who is fighting against the candidate of the saffron party, Rajesh Jamwal, a close aide of the CM