Soldiers never betray nation8217;

When the Himachal Vikas Congress HVC staked claim to the Shimla Reserved Lok Sabha seat, the BJP was quick to reject the demand. It s...

When the Himachal Vikas Congress HVC staked claim to the Shimla Reserved Lok Sabha seat, the BJP was quick to reject the demand. It said the party had no candidate who could challenge six-time winner and sitting Congress MP K D Sultanpuri. But it was in for a surprise when Sukh Ram produced Lt Col Retd Dhani Lal Shandil before Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. What more could a Kargil-driven party ask for? 8220;I took his biodata to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Shandil8217;s name was approved right there,8221; recalls Sukh Ram.

The party was in for another surprise. No sooner did Shandil come into the picture than the Congress rushed to replace its six-time winner Sultanpuri, after allotting him the ticket, with former minister Gangu Ram Musafir.

Shandil denies he ever harboured any political ambitions. 8220;I have never thought of becoming a politician or entering the assembly, forget Parliament. I preferred to be a social worker and was a little bit active in political circles,8221; he says. The HVCcircles admit his name cropped up suddenly when Lt Gen Rtd R S Dayal made a passing reference to him.

The HVC candidate belongs to Bashil village near Jubbarhatti, 20 km from Shimla. 8220;It is true, I have no political background but I have been amongst you all the time, living near Summerhill in Shimla,8221; he says at rallies, quickly drawing his profile as a soldier. 8220;After serving the country fighting the 1962 and 1971 wars and spending years at Kargil, I have returned to serve you.8221;

Shandil was commissioned into the Army in 1962 when war had just broken out. He joined the 8 Dogra Regiment. It was during his last years of service that he picked up a doctorate in political science. His oratory compares well with any experienced leader. He picks up the basic problem of the area first, moving into battlegear later. That he spent a few years in Kargil comes in handy, but his hour of glory was at the famous battle of Longowal in Rajasthan. 8220;I was active on the frontiers in 1965 and saw soldiers laying downtheir lives for the motherland. The morale of our forces is very high and Pakistan should not dare to resort to any misadventure,8221; he warns.

Unlike the run-of-the-mill politicians, Shandil avoids making tall promises. Drinking water, unemployment, lack of development and need to improve the life of the rural masses are his core themes. Escorted by his party8217;s firebrand leader Mohinder Singh, a minister in the government, Shandil goes from village to village and shares the dais with Dhumal, Sukh Ram and many others. The HVC and the BJP do not figure so much in his speeches as Vajpayee the General in whose hands the security of the country is safe.

Quite confident of entering the Lok Sabha, Shandil promises to visit each panchayat immediately after getting elected. His ultimate appeal to the electorate: 8220;You will not regret your choice. Trust me as soldiers have never let down the nation.8221;