Himachal Pradesh Politics: Himachal BJP has shown its two leaders the way out of the party. Both the leaders are contesting the assembly elections against the official candidate of the party. Bharatiya Janata Party has expelled former minister Dr. Ramlal Markanda and Himachal BJP OBC Morcha vice president Rakesh Chaudhary for six years.
Dr. Ramlal Markanda is contesting as an independent candidate from Lahaul Spiti against BJP’s official candidate Ravi Thakur. Rakesh Chaudhary is contesting the by-election of Dharamshala assembly constituency against BJP’s official candidate Sudhir Sharma. The party tried to persuade both the leaders, but still both the leaders did not agree. Now both have been expelled from the party for six years.
Both the leaders were BJP candidates in the year 2022
Dr. Ramlal Markanda was a cabinet minister in the then Jairam government, while Rakesh Chaudhary joined the Bharatiya Janata Party only in the year 2022. Earlier, Rakesh Chaudhary had also contested the by-election from Dharamshala assembly constituency as an Aam Aadmi Party and independent candidate. Ramlal Markanda was also associated with NSUI student organization during his student life and he won his first election by contesting from Himachal Vikas Congress.
In the year 2022, both the leaders were official candidates of Bharatiya Janata Party. In the year 2022, Dr. Ramlal Markanda lost to Ravi Thakur of Congress and Rakesh Chaudhary lost to Sudhir Sharma of Congress. Membership of six Congress MLAs was canceled after the upheaval after the Rajya Sabha elections held in Himachal Pradesh in the year 2024.
After this, all the six MLAs joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. BJP made all these six leaders its candidates. Since then, sounds of rebellion were seen rising in the by-election assembly constituencies.
There will be a triangular contest due to independent candidates
Due to Dr. Ramlal Markanda contesting in Lahaul Spiti and Rakesh Chaudhary in Dharamshala, the contest here has become triangular. A big challenge has come before the candidates of Bharatiya Janata Party. Dr. Ramlal Markanda also has a lot of influence in his area. Apart from this, Rakesh Chaudhary also has influence on the votes of Gaddi community. In such a situation, due to the triangular contest, there is a possibility of loss to the Bharatiya Janata Party. The same loss can happen to the Congress party also.