As factional feud in Himachal BJP coming into the open, Party President Nitin Gadkari has summoned State senior leaders including Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and his arch rival Shanta Kumar to Delhi to resolve the crisis. This development erupted after BJP Rohru MLA Khushi Ram Balnatah had demanded change in leadership, prompting the party to issue a show cause notice to him for indiscipline.
State Health Minister Rajiv Bindal, who faced protest from opposition as well and from his party as well for his alleged involvement in many corruption cases, has announced his resignation from the Dhumal cabinet on 25th June and now party has also appointed him state general secretary post and it is speculating that it is all happening because of mounting pressure from Shanta Kumar group.
Shanta Kumar is one of the founder member of BJP in Himachal and was very vocal about corruption in the State under BJP rule and has repeatedly warned publicly that the ‘Mission repeat’ for BJP would not be achieved unless corrupt elements were thrown out and the dissident leaders who have floated the Himachal Lokhit Party were taken back into party fold. With assembly elections just four months away, the party high command was seriously concerned about the disturbing developments in the party and trying to bring both the warring factions together. Assembly elections would be held following delimitation this time and at least half a dozen prominent leaders have either lost their seats and they are in search of “safe” constituencies, creating resentment among other members.
Many BJP leaders including BJP MP from Kangra Rajan Sushant had already raised a banner of revolt and had been suspended from the party while a large number of senior leaders including former state president and three time Lok sabha MP Maheshwar Singh, Mohinder Sofat and Shyama Sharma have already left the BJP and floated the Himachal Lokhit Party. Amidst all these development ‘Mission repeat’ for BJP will be difficult as Himachal Lokhit Party can dent party hard in Kanga, Solan and Kullu districts and can mar its chance at many other assembly segment in other districts as well.
