Jai Ram Thakur planned entry of Rajendra Rana in BJP to humiliate Dhumal: Congress's Chandershekhar

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Congress working president Chandershekhar on Tuesday claimed that former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur paved way for the entry of Congress rebel Rajendra Rana into the BJP to humiliate former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal.

Rana, who joined the BJP recently and got the ticket from Sujanpur assembly segment, had defeated Dhumal, who was the chief minister face of the BJP in 2017 assembly polls.

"The BJP had got clear majority in the 2017 assembly elections and Jai Ram Thakur emerged as 'accidental chief minister'. But apart from a courtesy call, he never visited Dhumal during the past six years and now when the by-elections are round the corner, he remembered Dhumal," Chandershekhar said in a statement.

Hamirpur, home district of Dhumal, has become a hotbed of Congress rebels. Notably, Sujanpur assembly segment falls under the Hamirpur district.

"The people of Hamirpur district have still not forgotten the ill-treatment meted out to Dhumal and his family during the tenure of the previous BJP government. During his tenure as CM, Jai Ram Thakur gave priority to works of Rajendra Rana," the Congress leader alleged.

Chandershekhar said Jai Ram Thakur has hurt the self-respect of Dhumal family and insulted them as Rana tried to belittle Dhumal during the past 11 years.

The people of Sujanpur will give a befitting reply to the politics of 'Aaya Ram-Gaya Ram' and Rana's defeat in the by-election is certain, he claimed, adding that the Congress will make a clean sweep winning all six assembly by-elections.

All the nine legislators, including six Congress rebels and three Independents, who had voted in favour of the BJP in the February 27 Rajya Sabha polls, had joined the BJP on March 23.

The six Congress rebels who were disqualified for defying a whip to be present in the assembly and vote in favour of the government during the cut motions and the budget, have been given tickets by the BJP from their respective constituencies.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Seventh State Finance Commission Nand Lal and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Kishori Lal have trashed the claims of Jai Ram Thakur that the BJP will form the government in the state after the bypolls.

The BJP would be on 'ventilator' as the Congress is in majority with 34 MLAs and after winning the by-elections, the party would emerge stronger, Nand Lal and Kishori Lal said in a statement.

The real face of 'power hungry' BJP has been exposed after it gave tickets to all six Congress rebels and and the people would give a befitting reply to the saffron party in the by-elections, they said.