Himachal BJP chief says house left out now will be adjusted in 2027

Asked about BJP leaders like Ram Lal Markanda, who has announced a plan to contest the bypoll in Lahaul & Spiti against party candidate Ravi Thakur, Bindal said, “The BJP leadership is in constant touch with these leaders including Markanda. I personally spoke to him. Even our national president, JP Nadda, has conveyed his message to him. Parantu kayi baar mehatavakanshey hoti hai, unka kaya kiya ja sakta hai? (But what can be done about someone’s many ambitions?)”.

A five-time MLA, Bindal spoke to The Indian Express over the phone from Dharamshala, where he campaigned for former Congress MLA Sudhir Sharma.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: How do you respond to the voices within the BJP raising objections to the leadership giving tickets to the rebels?

Rajeev Bindal: It is evident that a person who lost the 2022 election has no right to raise objections on this matter. They contested polls in 2022 and lost; their turn will now come in 2027. The individuals who won the 2022 Assembly election have vacated the seats. This aspect is clear to all BJP workers and leaders. Every BJP leader has been reaching out to every worker to help them understand the party’s stance. The sitting MLAs (six rebels) have vacated their seats, making them the preferred candidates.

Q: How do you address the resentment within the party?

Rajeev Bindal: Firstly, if someone is responsible for these bypoll elections, it is the Congress. The Congress and the state government deceived these six leaders and the people of their constituencies. The BJP stands united behind these MLAs. For instance, today these six MLAs are in their former constituencies accompanied by BJP leaders. In Nalagarh and Gagret, our ex-CM Jai Ram Thakur is accompanying Kewal Singh Thakur and Chaitayna Sharma. In Dharamshala, I am accompanying our candidate Sudhir Sharma. BJP MLAs Vikram Thakur and Rakesh Jambwal, and our Rajya Sabha MP Dr Sikandar Kumar are accompanying candidates Rajinder Rana, Ashish Sharma and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal in their constituencies.

Q: Have you conveyed your party’s stance to the six rebels?

Rajeev Bindal: The BJP’s stance is clear: the tickets for the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections will be decided by the central committee, regardless of the permanence of the party’s leadership at the booth and constituency levels. I am speaking in general terms. Look, the BJP’s central leadership has changed around 106 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. It is not just about these six candidates but about 68 candidates contesting polls on BJP tickets.

Q: Yesterday, Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri said the BJP made three independent candidates resign because it apprehended that they could join the Congress. What is your response?

Rajeev Bindal: It is derogatory. Are they (independent MLAs) children? They fought the election and won. Hoshyar Singh contested polls twice and won each time. KL Thakur won once on the BJP ticket and another time as an independent. They won elections defeating both the Congress and the BJP. Speaking ill of these three leaders in this manner is not appropriate.

Q: How is the BJP preparing for the bypoll and Lok Sabha elections, to be held simultaneously on June 1?

Rajeev Bindal: The BJP will win all four Lok Sabha seats and the nine bypoll seats (three seats fell vacant after the resignation of the independent MLAs).