Page 23 - 31MAY2019E

general elections

Shimla district after which BJP was re- from Pachhad.
duced to eight seats in the 68-member On the other hand, Congress has
state assembly. He is also unlucky that Two bypolls fielded all four candidates who didn’t
BJP governments in his both terms contested in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
as chief minister could not complete inevitable Two of them, however, have already
full five-year terms. It was also Shanta contested parliamentary elections.
Kumar who crushed employees’ agita- Ram Lal Thakur, who has been given
tion in Himachal Pradesh as CM and Two assembly bypolls will ticket from Hamirpur against BJP’s
employees never forgave him for this be inevitable in the state after young turk Anurag Thakur, had fought
anti-employee action. Interestingly Lok Sabha results. The reason thrice but could not win even once. In
when Narendra Modi was Himachal is that both Congress and the Shimla, the party has given ticket to
BJP incharge, he helped Prem Dhumal BJP have fielded sitting MLAs former CWC member Col (Retd) Dhani
become the state chief minister in 1998 on Kangra and Shimla seats. Ram Shandil, who won on HVC ticket in
and not Shanta Kumar. In Kangra, BJP candidate 1999.
The BJP has denied tickets to two of Kishan Kapoor is a MLA from Another big happening in this elec-
its sitting MPs this time. Besides Shanta Dharamshala and minister tion is shifting of loyalities by 94-year-
Kumar, Virender Kashyap, a two-time in the BJP government. The old tall Brahmin leader Sukh Ram, who
MP from Shimla has also been not giv- Congress candidate Pawan along with his grandson Ashrey has
en ticket. Suresh Kashyap, who is a two Kajal is also a MLA from Kan- now joined the Congress and also man-
time MLA from Pachhad, will be BJP’s gra reserve constituency. On aged ticket for him. Interestingly his
candidate from Shimla reserve constit- the other hand, BJP has fielded son Anil Sharma remained a minister
uency. If both Suresh Kumar and Kis- Suresh Kashyap while Con- in the state BJP government even after
han Kapoor win their election, the state gress candidate is Col (Retd) his son got the Congress ticket. He had
has to hold by-elections to these vacant Dhani Ram Shandil. Both are later quit as minister. However, he is
seats. Kishan Kapoor is MLA from Dhar- MLAs. still a BJP MLA and didn’t join the elec-
amshala while Suresh Kashyap is MLA tion campaign of his son Ashrey.

• Wooing voters In 2014, for the first time, all
the four seats in Himachal Pradesh went to BJP

Tehelka / 31 may 2019 23 www.Tehelka.com