Kullu: Having been denied a congress ticket, Dharamvir Dhami filed his nominations as an independent candidate for the Manali seat amidst much fanfare.
Just as ‘Sharad’, a period of mourning during which Hindus remember their forefathers, end and Navratras (auspicious days) broke out yesterday, there was a flurry of nominations being filed across the state, which included the Kullu-Manali valley.
Dhami, who describes himself as a freelancer in politics, is willing to take on cousin Bhuvneshwar Gaur for the Manali seat. Gaur, son of former minister Raj Kishan Guar, has been given the Congress ticket for the seat.
In a kind of show of strength, Gaur was accompanied by over 2500 supporters, led by prominent local leaders Harichand Sharma, a Zila Parishad Chairman, Chuneshwar Thakur and Dinesh Sen.
On the other hand Dhami is being projected as a consensual candidate of rebel group that consist of Devender Negi, Kamla Prarthi, Maan Chand ,Prem Sharma, Chandersen Thakur, NaveenTanwar, Khoob Ram and Anurag Prarthi.
Dhami entering the fray as an independent has made the contest for the seat a multi polar as fighting the poll on a BSP ticket; he had secured more than 24,000 votes.
Sanjay Dutta, an engineer by qualification but is a journalist by choice.
He has worked for the premier new agency Press Trust of India and leading English daily Indian Express.
With more than a decade of experience, he has been highlighting issues related to environment, tourism and other aspects affecting mountain ecology.
Sanjay Dutta lives in a village close to Manali in Kullu valley of Himachal.
