Denied ticket last time, Khimi Ram is back, this time for Congress

Ex-Himachal BJP president’s chances from Banjar boosted by internal rebellion in his former party

With Dhumal’s backing, Kihimi Ram became the state BJP president in 2009 after Jai Ram Thakur, the current chief minister, was inducted into the Cabinet. (Facebook/ Khimi Ram)

Former Himachal Pradesh BJP president Khimi Ram defected from the party unit to join Congress earlier this year and now the Opposition party, which is looking to return to power, has fielded him from his home turf Banjar in Kullu district. Further dealing a blow to the ruling party’s chances is an internal rebellion in the constituency.

The 73-year-old entered politics in the 1990s and held a post in the district council. He went on to contest elections from Banjar in 2003 on a BJP ticket and won. He retained the seat in the Assembly polls four years later. The same year, Khimi was also elected Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly.

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With Dhumal’s backing he became the state BJP president in 2009 after Jai Ram Thakur, the current chief minister, was inducted into the Cabinet. The following year, Ram was unanimously re-elected to the post. But his tenure was marked by infighting in the state unit and saw the exit of former state party president and former MP Maheshwar Singh in December 2011 over his decision to drop Naveen Dhiman and Tikku Thakur from the BJP’s state body and district unit.

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Thakur was later removed as the president and moved to cabinet in the Dhumal government. He was denied an election ticket in 2017 despite expressing his desire to contest the Assembly elections again from Banjar.

The Banjar seat will be looking at a three-way contest between Ram, incumbent MLA Surender Shourie of the BJP and Maheshwar Singh’s son Hiteshwar Singh, who is contesting as an Independent. Maheshwar’s Singh ticket was cancelled after he failed to convince Hiteshwar to withdraw his candidature.

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Himachal Pradesh elections

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