In what is being termed as a major shot in the arms of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the crucial Tharali by- election, Guddu lal Shah, who secured over 8,000 votes while contesting from the constituency during the last Assembly election as an independent candidate, joined BJP on Saturday. The by-election is necessitated by the death of the BJP MlA Magan lal Shah. It would be held on May 28.
Guddu lal Shah joined the party in the presence of state BJP president Ajay Bhatt, cabinet minister Prakash Pant, minister of state Dhan Singh Rawat, BJP state general secretary and Rajpur MlA Khajan Das and wife of late Magan lal Shah among others at the state BJP headquarters on Saturday.
Guddu lal Shah is popularly known as ‘Guruji’ in Tharali and its adjoining areas as he is a popular exponent of Jagar, traditional songs sung in praise of the deities. He had made his formidable presence felt during the last Assembly election from Tharali as he secured 8888 votes while fighting as an independent. His name was placed last in the list of the candidates on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and the locals claimed that many of them had mistakenly pressed NOTA while they thought they voted for ‘Guruji’.
later, talking to the newsmen, the state BJP president said that the party would definitely gain from the popularity of ‘Guruji’. He, however, clarified that Guddu lal has joined the party unconditionally. Bhatt further said that there are many leaders eying the party ticket for Tharali by- election and the widow of Magan lal Shah is one of them. Asked when the party would announce its candidate with Congress having already declared Jeet Ram as its candidate, Bhatt said that the party would declare its candidate in a week. “ The party organisation is fully geared for the by-election,” he added.