By Vishal Gulati, IANS,
Jawali (Himachal Pradesh) : Infighting within the family of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Rajan Sushant may cost the party dear in Saturday’s by-election for this assembly seat in Himachal Pradesh.
While the BJP has fielded greenhorn Baldev Raj Chaudhary from here in Kangra district, rebel Madan Sharma, who was denied the party ticket, is contesting as an independent. Sharma is the elder brother of Sushant.
Chaudhary belongs to the Other Backward Class (OBC) while Sharma is a Brahmin in a constituency dominated by the community.
Sushant, who had vacated this seat after he won the Lok Sabha election in May, was trying to get the BJP ticket for his wife Sudha Sushant. When he failed, he backed the candidature of Chaudhary.
Efforts by BJP leaders to convince Sharma to withdraw from the contest have failed.
Sharma is openly accusing his younger brother of promoting dynastic politics and dividing the party by favouring “weak candidate” Chaudhary after the party refused to give a ticket to his wife.
“The allotment of ticket to Baldev Raj was under pressure from Sushant. Power has gone to his (Sushant’s) head. His good sense will prevail when the voters will teach him a lesson,” Sharma told IANS.
Sushant, on the other hand, said there were no differences between him and his brother.
“It was the decision of the party high command to allot the ticket. If the party refused to nominate him (Sharma), he should accept it. Now he has crossed the line (contesting as an independent). For the party, he is a gaddar (traitor),” Sushant said.
He admitted the family has been divided over the issue.
Apart from getting help from fellow Brahmins, Sharma is considered close to the state leadership of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of the BJP.
Talking about why Chaudhary — who had not even applied for the ticket — was made the party nominee, state BJP chief Khimi Ram said: “Chaudhary is non-controversial and he commands respect at the grassroots. So he was the final choice of the party.”
The Congress has fielded former minister Sujan Singh Pathania — another Brahmin — from Jawali. The Congress in the state has been trying to woo its traditional Brahmin votes.
“The BJP’s Brahmin vote bank will now be divided between Chaudhary and Sharma. Since Brahmins are a dominant community in the constituency, this will benefit the Congress,” said Vepa Rao, a former professor of the Himachal Pradesh University.
In 2007, Sushant defeated Pathania by 5,100 votes. Himachal Pradesh goes to the by-polls for two assembly seats Saturday.
The second seat is Rohru in Shimla district, where the BJP has fielded Khushi Ram Balnatah against Congress’ Manjit Singh.