BJP grappling with new phase of ‘internal rifts’ in Himachal Pradesh
Shimla: Despite having completed its organisational elections, few pass-overs due to intense squabbles, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Himachal Pradesh is still embroiled in factional turmoil, particularly over the selection of a new state party chief.
The ongoing internal power struggle, rather has intensified, making the party’s “original” cadres highly uncomfortable after a new batch of six former Congress MLAs, seeking to make their presence felt in the areas of their influence.
These new members, along with their supporters, are exerting significant influence within the party, actively shaping the ongoing decision-making process though a majority of them had lost the byelections held after their disqualifications by the state assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania in February 2024.
Only two of total six and two of three independents could win the bypoll that rather helped Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu to get the party MLAs’ original strength of 40 restored.
In 2022, the Congress had formed the government with 40 MLAs in the 68-member House but later six MLAs, who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha poll to elect BJP’s Harsh Mahajan, became members of the state Assembly. Three independents later resigned and joined the BJP with six former Congress MLAs.
Chief Minister Sukhu survived the topple bid of the BJP when the strength of the party MLAs dropped down to 34.
The entry of the former Congress MLAs has become BJP’s new headache to strike the balance in the districts and constituency units.
Rajya Sabha member Harsh Mahajan who enjoys close proximity to BJP National President J P Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has come as a natural choice for the ex-Congress MLAs to rally behind him.
“This has resulted in the creation of pressure groups within the party as the new entrants bring their supporters along, causing competition for influence and control within the state unit,” admits a senior MLA.
The contest for leadership i.e. state BJP president remains a contentious issue, with different party factions vying for control, complicating the process of electing a new state president.
MP Rajiv Bhardwaj, who was also the State Election Officer, claims that the elections are almost done even as there were certain issues in some of the ‘Mandals’ like Sujanpur Tihra, Bamsan (Tauni Devi), Gagret, Kutlehar, Hamirpur (Urban), Hamirpur (Rural), Dhatwal (Bhijri), Daulatpur and Dera Baba Rudranand.
“The ball is in the high command’s court to initiate the process of election of the state party chief,” he says.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and party veteran Shanta Kumar said the prevailing situation in the party (factionalism) is worrying. “The party is like a family. New people keep coming, but there should be no difference in the honour of the old people,” he underlined referring to pressures being exerted by the new lobby.
He asked the senior leaders to sit together and resolve the crisis but there is no reason to overlook the interests of the old members of the BJP.
“The newly inducted leaders should get full respect, but the interests and honour of the old leaders of the party should not be compromised,” said Shanta Kumar.
Among the names going around for the party’s new president include sitting MLAs viz Vipin Singh Parmar, a former speaker, Bikram Thakur, a former minister, Trilok Jamwal, first-time MLA from Bilasppur and two MPs—Dr Sikandar Kumar (Rajya Sabha) and Kangra MP Rajeev Bhardwaj.
