BJP rebel files nomination with a question: ‘mera kya kasoor?’

Thakur filed his nomination papers amid a show of strength that had foot-tapping flavour from the neighboring Punjab. He hired a Malwai giddha group from Khanna, a “dholi” and “shehnai” players. Thakur clapped and danced his way to file the nomination, but during his speech where he asked what his “kasoor” was, he broke down several times. En route, his supporters lifted him on their shoulders.

Addressing a gathering in Nalagarh in the evening, Thakur declared that it was “dharma yudh (war for righteousness)” and that “it will not be fought by K L (read Krishan Lal Thakur), but by you all”.

Thakur said denial of ticket to him was not “cheating” with him, but “with the people of Nalagarh”.

The BJP has fielded sitting MLA from Nalagarh, L S Rana who recently quit the Congress to join the BJP. Rana had defeated Thakur in 2017, while in 2012 Thakur had defeated him.

Thakur pointed out that his defeat in 2017 elections was marginal as he lost only by less than 1,300 votes, and despite losing he worked hard to get development works done in the constituency. “I know how to get works done,” Thakur told the gathering, adding that denial of ticket to him by the BJP was “dacoity (daaka) on people of Nalagarh.”

Thakur, who took voluntary retirement as Executive Engineer in Irrigation and Public Health department in September 2012 to contest elections, asked the gathering to use the power of ballot as an answer to the “dacoity”. “In the past, people would hurl stones at dacoits, now you need to use the ballot,” he said.

Thakur asked the gathering to raise their hands if they wanted him to contest and not withdraw the nomination and the crowd strongly responded in his favour to stay put. Thakur told The Indian Express that when he took voluntary retirement, he was to get promoted as superintending engineer in three months’ time.

Several in the gathering carried banners reading: “I am also K L”. As Thakur was about to speak during the rally, BJP nominee Lakhwinder Singh Rana’s road show passed by the venue of Thakur’s rally. The gathering in Rana’s road show paled in front of the crowd present at Thakur’s rally.

In his address, Thakur took pride in telling the gathering that how entire Mandal office-bearers resigned to express solidarity with him after he was denied the BJP ticket.

A man in the gathering, meanwhile, said that given the “popularity” of Thakur and his rebellion, the Congress nominee was “likely to benefit and emerge as winner from the constituency”.

The Congress has fielded Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) chief of Himachal Pradesh Hardeep Singh Bawa as its candidate.

Boota Khan, who leads the Malwai Gidha group, said the response of the people indicated that K L Thakur would win hands down. Khan, who came to perform with eight others said, “We were engaged at the eleventh hour on Thursday night. We assumed it to be a marriage function, but after reaching here came to know that it was related to election.”