BJP rejects panel of names for Jawali seat,allots ticket to Baldev Chaudhary

Dr Ranjan Sushant,who had vacated the seat on his election to the Lok Sabha,had been lobbying to get the ticket for his wife Sudha. However,there was resistance among the party leaders,including Rajya Sabha member Shanta Kumar and Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal,as the stakes are high this time. Not only his wife,but Dr Sushant’s brother Madan Lal,too,was in the race for the ticket. Two other claimants on the panel— Arjun Thakur and Baldev Thakur— have also been left out.

The notification for the elections,scheduled to be held on November 7,was issued on Wednesday,but no nominations have been filed so far. “On the second day of filling nominations,no candidate came to file papers,” said Anil Khachi,Chief Electoral Officer of the state.

The last date of filing the papers is October 21.

The party high command had also kept the caste combination of the constituency in mind. The maximum population the constituency is that of Rajputs followed by Chaudharys and Brahmins. Sources said Baldev Raj Chaudhary is a non-controversial party worker with a clean image. State party general secretary (organisation) Mohinder Pandey confirmed that Chaudhary had been allotted ticket from Jawali constituency. He said that it was the unanimous decision of the party’s central election committee,and that he had the support of all ticket seekers.

BJP’s Himachal affairs in-charge Satpal Jain said the central election committee was the final authority to allot the ticket and its decision was acceptable to all. He said though the state election committee had sent a panel of four names,the high command decided to allot the ticket to Chaudhary. “Prior to taking this decision,the central leadership had consulted all top leaders of the state in this regard,” said Jain.

On the other hand,though the ticket seekers are maintaining silence,their supporters are opposing the move. Kartar Kapoor,a Sangh Parivar activist,said they failed to understand why was Chaudhary selected when his name was not even on the panel. “Chaudhary is not a familiar name in the constituency and is only a party worker,” he said.

Know Chaudhary
Baldev Raj Chaudhary,48,who belongs to OBC community,was the block BJP president in 2003 and earlier the general secretary to the block BJP unit. Sources said when Dr Ranjan Sushant was told that his wife will not get a ticket,he suggested the name of Baldev Raj Chaudhary. “It was with his consent and choice that Baldev Raj’s name was finally approved for Jawali”,said a senior state BJP leader in Shimla.