It’s time for ‘ghar wapsi’: BJP, Congress rebels return to fold

SHIMLA

: This election season, ‘

ghar wapsi

’ (homecoming) is becoming the central theme in

Himachal Pradesh

. The rebels who once ditched their parties either to contest independently or float their own outfits are being lured back into parties.


On Saturday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opened its doors again to former minister Mahender Nath Sofat. Just a day ago, the Congress took back rebel leader Harish Janartha, who had contested as an independent candidate from Shimla assembly seat in 2017. Sofat was among the founder members of Himachal Lokhit Party floated before 2012 assembly election by BJP rebels.

Sofat was a close associate of former chief minister (CM) Shanta Kumar and, according to sources, his ‘ghar wapsi’ was orchestrated on BJP high command’s directions. Along with his supporters from Solan district, Sofat returned to the BJP in the presence of CM Jai Ram Thakur, BJP’s election incharge for state

Tirath Singh Rawat

and education minister Suresh Bhardwaj.

CM Thakur said that the decision was taken after discussing the matter with the BJP high command. According to him, Sofat’s presence would strengthen the BJP’s presence in Shimla parliamentary seat. Sofat was transport minister in the BJP government headed by then chief minister Shanta Kumar in 1992 and later in 2012 he had joined Himachal Lokhit Party floated by Maheshwar Singh, which eventually merged with the BJP.

On Friday, Congress held a programme to welcome back Janartha. In 2017, Janartha had contested as independently from Shimla assembly seat, but couldn’t win. Himachal Pradesh Congress president Kuldeep Singh Rathore said that the organisation could be run only by uniting people. He said that to achieve “Laskhya 2019”, the goal set by the party, it was essential to put aside past differences.