Poor show in byelections: 2 HP ministers meet Nadda

Shimla: Amid speculations that many heads could roll for BJP’s poll debacle in the recently held by-elections in Himachal Pradesh and silence of the BJP high command so far, two ministers on Saturday met party national president JP Nadda in New Delhi. One of the minister who met Nadda is Mahender Singh Thakur, in charge of Mandi parliamentary seat, but the BJP failed to put an impressive show and lost the seat to the Congress candidate.

The other minister who met Nadda was Ram Lal Markanda. It is assumed the both ministers apprised Nadda about the reasons that had led to the debacle of party in Mandi parliamentary seat.

In the 2019 parliamentary election, BJP had won Mandi seat by a margin of 4,05,459 votes, but in the recently held by-election the BJP lost this seat by a margin of 7,490 votes.

The party had appointed jal shakti minister Mahender Singh Thakur as in charge for the by-election of Mandi parliamentary seat and education minister Govind Singh Thakur was appointed as the co-incharge while Sundernagar MLA Rakesh Jamwal was the coordinator. While the BJP was confident of winning this seat for consecutive third time, party failed to perform impressively in tribal areas, including Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur district beside Kullu, especially in Manali assembly area represented by Govind Singh Thakur himself.

The ruling BJP’s dream of victory in Mandi parliamentary seat was shattered in nine out of 17 assembly constituencies as in nine assembly constituencies Congress took the lead while BJP could take lead in eight assembly constituencies only.

The BJP high command has called a report from the state leadership on the reasons for the defeat in the by-election. The BJP high command has already held a meeting in Delhi before summoning the report.

Apart from the state leadership, separate reports have been sought from the in-charges, office bearers, district and divisional presidents of parliamentary constituencies as well as party candidates who entered the election season in the by-elections. After receiving the report, the BJP high command will brainstorm on the reasons for the defeat.