NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday named six disqualified Congress MLAs as its candidates for the Himachal Pradesh assembly bypolls, triggering a rebellion by party leaders who expected they would be fielded from these seats.
Hours after the BJP announcement, former minister Ram Lal Markanda quit the party and announced he would “definitely” contest the bypolls. BJP leader Ranjit Singh also said he will contest as an Independent.
Former minister Virender Kanwar, who was defeated last time by one of the Congress rebels, expressed displeasure over the announcement by his party.
All six of them switched over to the BJP from the Congress on March 23, nearly a month after being disqualified from the House for defying a party whip to be present and vote in favour of the Congress-led government during the cut motions and budget.
Shortly before the BJP list was released, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “People of Himachal are intelligent, they believe in democracy and will give a befitting reply to those practising ‘aaya ram, gaya ram' culture in Dev Bhumi Himachal.”
Referring to the nine MLAs — six Congress rebels and three independents — who voted in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections, Sukhu said they have “sold their souls” and should now face the public.
“We will face the political challenge on June 1, 2024,” he added.
