Mandi bypoll: BJP fields Kargil war hero against former CM's wife
Shimla: Carrying with him the pride of Tololing Peak and later leading troops to capture Tiger hill, Brigadier (Rtd) Khushal Thakur, who commanded 18 Grenadiers in the Kargil war is BJP's best bet at Mandi bypoll, a Parliamentary seat where the Congress has fielded Pratibha Singh, former CM Virbhadra Singh's wife.
The bypoll for the constituency, which has fallen vacant due to demise of two-time BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma in March 2020, will go to the polls on October 30.
With the state slated to witness next Assembly elections by the end of 2022, Mandi –home district of the Chief Minister has become a hot potato for the ruling party in the state known for changing power every five years.
Thus, the BJP has tried to move with the best foot forward and not to take risks against the Congress' well thought move to rope in Virbhadra Singh's wife, who had won the Mandi Parliamentary seat twice while her legendary politician was alive, and all powerful.
"We will seek the votes as tribute to Raja Virbhadra Singh's contributions to the state and also his special place in the hearts of people in Mandi, where he was elected four times, thrice also being union minister" Pratibha Singh declared as she has reached Mandi to file her nomination papers.
Pratibha Singh said "Raja sahib (Virbhadra Singh) may not be alive and by my side in the campaign but his soul is very much in the masses, who loved him like a father. My victory from Mandi will be a tribute to Raja Sahib, but that alone will not be my focus. We have, in front of us, failures of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi –in whom name the party sought vote in two successive polls in 2019 and 2019, but did nothing."
Brigadier in presence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, senior most minister Mohinder Singh –who is incharge of the poll campaign, BJP president Suresh Kashyap, also sitting MP from Shimla, and scores of leaders, filed his nomination papers for the seat at Mandi.
"I am a soldier. A soldier is a worrier, whether he is at the borders or elsewhere. I led by boys (soldiers) to capture Tololing peak and later the Tiger hill in 1999 Kargil war. Now that the BJP has chosen me to fight the elections, I have the same spirit and determination for a victory," he declared at Mandi's popular Seri Manch.
In three Assembly constituencies, which are also going to witness byelections, the BJP has surprised many by declining the party ticket to Chetan Bragta, son of BJP senior and former minister Narinder Bragta at Jubbal Kotkhai, an apple dominant seat. The ticket instead has been given to a party rebel woman –who had remained always opposed to Bragta. The seat had fallen vacant on demise of Bragta Sr.
A shell-shocked Chetan Bragta was thronged by hundreds of supporters on the day.
"It's a huge blow and a shock to me. The party leaders, who had pulled me out of mourning and told to travel in the constituency and re-energise the cadres for the bypoll, are now hiding faces, not giving a satisfactory answers to my questions as why someone who worked against the party been chosen over me. It's double standard as the pretext is given about dynasty politics. I am shattered though I will not run away from the party assignments, I was already doing," he said holding back his tears.
