BJP veteran’s son joins Cong

Prem Kumar Dhumal and his son, Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur.

This has come as a blow to the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections as the party had taken a lead in preparations by announcing that Anurag Thakur would once again be the candidate from Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat. Formally welcoming Narender Thakur at the party head office, Kaul Singh Thakur said, “The Congress is in no hurry to announce candidates for the Lok Sabha election. The BJP did it for Hamirpur because they are unsure about other seats.” It is learnt that the Congress’ efforts are on to rope in more BJP leaders from the CM’s home constituency.

When contacted, BJP state president Jai Ram Thakur said, “It is difficult to assess the damage to the party following this development. But Narender Thakur’s step to join the Congress would definitely hurt the sentiments of the people who respected his father, who made a big contribution to the party.” Addressing mediapersons, Narender Thakur alleged, “The BJP is practicing double standards as on one hand it criticises the Congress at the national level for promoting family members in politics, whereas in Himachal it is promoting political heirs.” He also raised questions over the source of Rs 2 crore wealth declared by Anurag Thakur during the LS byelection.

Co-convener of the state BJP O.P. Dhankad told mediapersons, “Narender Thakur lost his patience due to his high expectations. But experience from the past has shown that people who fall out of BJP’s ideology never succeed.” Refuting all allegations made by Thakur, he said, “Anyone who leaves a party behaves in this manner.”

Narender Thakur was associated with the BJP for 18 years and also fought a byelection of the Vidhan Sabha in 1993 on a BJP ticket after his father’s death. However, he had lost the election.