With political equations changing fast in Sujanpur Assembly seat with the inclusion of two-time BJP legislator Urmil Thakur in Congress, party high command has sought a fresh panel of names of candidates from State unit for the seat.
On Sunday, Urmil Thakur joined Congress in front of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and blamed former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and his son Anurag Thakur of taking the BJP hostage and trying to create fissures in her family.
Thakur is sister in-law of BJP’s Sujanpur candidate Narender Thakur, who recently joined BJP from Congress apparently compelling her to leave the party, as she was seeking ticket from the party for the seat having fallen vacant after the resignation of independent legislator Rajendra Rana who is contesting Hamirpur lok Sabha seat on Congress ticket.
Congress sources said the party high command has asked Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to draw a fresh panel of named keeping in mind winning ability of probable candidates.
If Urmil Thakur’s name is included in the new panel of names then three women ticket aspirants will be in the fray from Congress. Earlier, former Cabinet Minister Anita Verma and Rajendra Rana’s wife Anita Rana’s name were included in the panel sent to the central leadership for the seat.
Earlier Chief minister Virbhadra Singh had endorsed the name of Anita Rana for the ticket. State Congress general secretary in-charge Rajiv Shukla had on Sunday said that in couple of days the name of candidate for Sujanpur seat will be announced by the party.