The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied ticket to sitting Kangra MP Dr Ranjan Sushant’s wife for the ensuing byelections in two Assembly constituencies.

The Parliamentary board of the BJP, which met in Delhi on Thursday to decided on the two constituencies, chose BJP block president Baldev Raj Chaudhary for the Jawali seat. The board refused to choose from the panel of names recommended by the state election body, though it did accept the recommendation for Khushi Ram Balnatah, from Rohru.

Dr Ranjan Sushant, who had vacated the seat on his election to the Lok Sabha, had been lobbying to get the ticket for his wife Sudha. However, there was resistance among the party leaders, including Rajya Sabha member Shanta Kumar and Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, as the stakes are high this time. Not only his wife, but Dr Sushant’s brother Madan Lal, too, was in the race for the ticket. Two other claimants on the panel— Arjun Thakur and Baldev Thakur— have also been left out.

The notification for the elections, scheduled to be held on November 7, was issued on Wednesday, but no nominations have been filed so far. “On the second day of filling nominations, no candidate came to file papers,” said Anil Khachi, Chief Electoral Officer of the state.

The last date of filing the papers is October 21.

The party high command had also kept the caste combination of the constituency in mind. The maximum population the constituency is that of Rajputs followed by Chaudharys and Brahmins. Sources said Baldev Raj Chaudhary is a non-controversial party worker with a clean image. State party general secretary (organisation) Mohinder Pandey confirmed that Chaudhary had been allotted ticket from Jawali constituency. He said that it was the unanimous decision of the party’s central election committee, and that he had the support of all ticket seekers.

... contd.