'BJP leaders backed Shanta to downplay Gaddi remark row'

Dharamshala: BJP leaders from the Gaddi community who are claiming the party ticket for Kangra parliamentary seat have come to the resuce of party MP Shanta Kumar, after a comment made by him on the community triggered a protest.

This, a source in the party said, had been done after the party’s central leadership directed the Gaddi community leaders to mitigate the controversy.

The source said party leadership was worried over the reported remark denting the party’s vote. There are more than three lakh voters from the community in the seat.

Considering the losses suffered by Congress in recent assembly elections, the BJP high command had taken strict cognizance of the issue, said the source.

BJP’s tribal morcha national vice-president, Tirlok Kapoor, also a Gaddi leader, is among the ticket seekers. “It is in the notice of the party that cabinet minister Kishan Kapoor organised a press conference to defend Shanta Kumar and Tirlok Kapoor also issued a statement in the MP’s favour,” said the source.

Dullo Ram is another Gaddi leader in talks for the ticket.

The Gaddi community is the shepherd tribe of Himachal Pradesh. Earlier, it was the Congress, during the last tenure of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, which had suffered losses after annoying this section of voters. Shanta had come under fire after a section of media quoted him saying that elections were for the Lok Sabha and not for any specific community. Chancing upon this, leaders of the community took to social media and also addressed series of press conferences to demand an apology from Kumar.