BJP, Congress in dilemma over Kangra Lok Sabha seat candidates

SHIMLA: Ticket distribution process has become interesting in Kangra parliamentary seat with both BJP and Congress struggling to select their candidates.


In Congress, seven leaders including former MP Chander Kumar and former minister Thakur Singh Bharmauri have applied for the ticket but the party is likely to select candidate among leaders who have not applied for the ticket.

In BJP, though there are many aspirants for the ticket but old warhorse and sitting MP Shanta Kumar (84) has once again thrown his hat in the ring resulting into resentment among others.

While Shanta Kumar is a prominent Brahmin face of BJP in Kangra, Congress has yet to project any face here. Two prominent Brahmin faces of Congress-Sudhir Sharma and G S Bali (both former ministers) are battling for ticket this time.

AICC secretary and Dalhousie MLA Asha Kumari is also among the contenders for ticket from Kangra.

Congress is witnessing intense factionalism in Kangra with leaders indulging into escalated war of supremacy. While a faction is supporting Virbhadra Singh-led camp including Sudhir Sharma, a rival faction is supporting G S Bali. In the 2017 assembly election, Sudhir Sharma had lost from Dharamasala seat, and Bali had lost from Nagrota Bagwan seat.

Sources say that the Congress has never fielded a Brahmin candidate from Kangra parliamentary constituency and has opted for OBC, Rajput or other candidate while BJP has batted for Brahmin candidate by fielding Shanta Kumar and Rajan Sushant in the past.

In BJP, there are many ticket aspirants including BJYM state president Vishal Chauhan, former MLA Dulo Ram and Gaddi leader Trilok Kapoor. But if Shanta Kumar refuses to contest, then BJP might field either health minister Vipin Singh Parmar, a Rajput leader, or food and civil supplies minister Kishan Kapoor who comes from Gaddi community.