Himachal bypoll: BJP faces revolt
Shimla: He stood in front of the mike, completely charged up yet emotional and in tears too. He cried and looked shattered, but when hundreds of supporters, who were there, cheered him up and asked to fight back an insult inflicted on him by the BJP leadership, the young leader dared the decision makers of the BJP to answer few of his questions.
This was Chetan Bragta, head of the BJP's IT cell in the state and son of former cabinet minister Narinder Bragta, whose death due to post Covid complications forced bypoll in Jubbal-Kotkhai, state's apple belt with an economy of Rs 3000 crore. Denied a ticket by the BJP, Bragta filed his nomination as party rebel with a massive show of strength –much larger than BJP's official candidate Neelam Saraik, a former Zila Parishad member and a known Bragta rival, apart from being a party rebel.
"Is it not an insult to me, my father's soul? I was pulled-out of the mourning within 15 days after the demise of my father and told to go to the field, rebuild on Bragta ji's hard work, and legacy. Had I never begged for the ticket. No, not a word. Then why this insult? He declared as a massive crowd accompanied him when he went to file the nominations.
This was exactly the time when Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had also landed up at the same place to be present with Neelam Saraik, the official BJP candidate, whose show was totally lack-lustre.
It was almost a foregone conclusion that Chetan Bragta would be fielded from Jubbal-Kotkhai against two-time former MLA Rohit Thakur, grandson of former CM late Thakur Ram Lal.
But, a day after when Congress released its list of candidates, the BJP went into huddle and sent a surprise in the apple belt naming Neelam Saraik instead of Bragta, who was all set to file his papers on October 8.
He filed as an Independent instead refusing to take phone calls from the party's top bosses dissuading him from rebellion.
"My mother told me, she will go to CM Jai Ram Thakur and seek answers for the declining ticket. I requested her and advised, we will not do this. It's an insult and I will not take it lying down. I will keep working hard to fulfil the dreams of my father to make Jubbal-Navar-Kotkhai a model of fruit economy, well developed roads and property at every home," he lamented.
The CM said efforts were underway to calm down the tempers in the Bragta camp.
"The decision to field Neelam Saraik, a woman from the area was taken by the party.We all wanted Bragta to contest but since Saraik has been made candidate everyone will strengthen party hands," he hoped and claimed that the decision on candidates, also for other states –where bypolls are being held, was taken to have uniform policy.
