Shimla: The BJP election strategy is fast becoming an enigma wrapped in a mystery as the two senior leaders Shanta Kumar an Prem Kumar Dhumal are not among the 504 party ticket applicants for the 65 seats that go to the polls in December.Talking to My Himachal News, Jai Ram Thakur, BJP state president disclosed that of the 504 applicants, 31, the highest number of applications received, were for the Arki seat in Solan district.
Giving details, he said that there were 81 applications for the 8 seats in Shimla district, 79 were for the 5 seats in Solan district, 38 for the 5 seats of Sirmaur, 27 for the four seats of Bilaspur, 102 applications for the 16 seats of Kangra district, 49 for the 5 seats of Hamirpur, 49 for the 4 seats of Una, 29 for the 3 seats of Chamba, 16 for the 3 seats of Kullu and 72 for the 10 seats of Mandi district.
For the Chachiot seat of Mandi district represented by Jai Ram Thakur and the Kuthler seat in Una district only one application each was received.
When asked whether former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar were among the ticket applicants, he said, “they are senior leaders of the party and they need not apply. If they are to be put up as candidates for the ensuing elections their candidature and seats will only been considered by the party high command.â€
The applications would first be scrutinized by the state level election committee before the central election committee would approve the final list of election candidates, said Thakur. The process would be completed after the first phase of elections, he added.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
