Kaundal’s votaries hopeful of Cabinet berth

BILASPUR, June 17: The stunning victory of the BJP in the recently-concluded by-polls to the Vidhan Sabha and the lone Lok Sabha seat has raised the expectations of party members in this district.

A strong claimant for a Cabinet berth, R. R. Kaundal, Ghumarwian, is pleading his case for a ministerial berth with the Chief Minister strongly.His votaries are stressing the point that Kaundal had retained the seat in the Congress wave in 1985 and 1990. They say he retained his seat with a margin of over 6,000 votes.Earlier, Kaundal was Deputy Speaker of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha in 1990- 1992, till the dismissal of the Shanta ministry in the wake of the Babri episode.

Three other aspirants for posts of chairman and vice-chairman of corporations and boards include former MLA and district president of the BJP, K. D. Dharmani, former district president Parkash Chand Sankhayan and defeated party candidate from Kotkehloor constituency K. K. Kaushal.Dharmani, former MLA from Ghumarwin, was denied any berth in the Shanta Kumar ministry (1990) because of his proximity to now Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal, according to his supporters.But party workers are apprehensive that the appointment of J. P. Nadda as a minister and Suresh Chandel as the state chief of the party, may forces the CM to give less representation to Bilaspur district.