Shimla: Not only has BJP picked up a candidate dropped by congress to fight the assembly election just before nominations closed, the party has also quietly set out to rehabilitate disgraced former parliamentarian Suresh Chandel, who was expelled from the Lok Sabha after being caught in cash for query sting operation.
Chandel told My Himachal News, “I have been made incharge of overseeing the election process in Kullu district.” He claimed that he had never been expelled from the party. “Responsibility has been entrusted on me by the party after a long time,” said Chandel.
On the other hand Satpal Jain, BJP incharge for Himachal said, “Chandel remains a party member and has been asked to work for the victory of BJP in the elections.” He categorically denied that Chandel had been made campaign incharge anywhere.
On another occasion Jain justified a last minute induction of a congressman into the party and making him the BJP nominee for the Mandi seat by, “we are not being opportunistic but are getting a chance to exploit an opportunity to win a seat.”
Initially the party had set up a young Praveen Sharma against Anil Sharma, son of congress strongman and former communication minister Sukh Ram for the Mandi seat. At the eleventh hour, before nominations closed on last Friday, DD Thakur, a congress ticket applicant was hurriedly admitted into BJP and made the party nominee for the seat.
Citing an incident from Ramayana, Jain said that to win Lanka even Lord Ram had to take the assistance of Vibhishan, a brother of Ravana.
Elections are there for winning and by putting up a formidable opponent for the Mandi seat, we have made it a contestable seat, said Jain.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.
In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.
