Keeping in mind the large population of ex-servicemen in the State, the BJP is likely to field a Kargil war hero from Mandi parliamentary constituency, currently represented by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh.
The party’s State election committee has sent the name of Brigadier Kushal Singh Thakur, among others, for Mandi parliamentary seat to Central leadership for final nod. Brigadier Kushal Singh Thakur had led 18 Grenadiers at the time of Kargil war in 1999. He had served in the united nation peacekeeping force in Sri lanka. The18 Grenadiers unit of Indian army was decorated with 52 gallantry awards for the valour that soldiers exhibited to oust the Pakistani army backed infiltrators from the strategic Tololing and Tiger hill of Kargil sector in Kashmir.
Hailing from Nagwain of Mandi district, Thakur now heads the State chapter of Indian ex-serviceman movement. Thakur had been constantly touring the State raising issues concerning the large ex-servicemen population. He had been advocating for implementing one rank one pension, which the BJP has been promising to give after they come to power.
Brigadier Kushal Singh Thakur had been repeatedly seeking increase in the pension for both widows and war widows. When contacted, Thakur said that it is ironical that army men or ex-servicemen are not in the loop while making decisions concerning them, at the top level. Bollywood film lOC based on Kargil war had also highlighted the exemplary courage shown by Thakur during the war. Veteran actor Raj Babbar had played Thakur’s role in the war in the film.
The party’s move to send his name to central leadership as ticket probable has come after party’s by-election candidate Jairam Thakur showed reluctance to contest from Mandi parliamentary seat. The BJP State election committee had recently met in Hamirpur to discuss candidates for upcoming lok Sabha election. The committee settled on single names for Hamirpur, Kangra and Shimla parliamentary constituency.
From Kangra seat, name of former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar has been sent to the central leadership. After his initial reluctance, Kumar gave his nod to contest the parliamentary election and is also considered BJP’s most formidable bet from the State’s biggest district. The party has denied a ticket from Kangra to sitting BJP MP Rajan Sushant who recently resigned from the party’s primary membership after remaining suspended for nearly two years for his anti-party activities.
Despite of controversies surrounding the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) led by former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal’s elder son Anurag Thakur, party decided to give him ticket from Hamirpur lok Sabha seat. Two-time parliamentarian Anurag Thakur is facing number of inquiries against HPCA and himself, ordered by Congress Government in the state and has been questioned by Vigilance Bureau in different cases.
Thakur, who is also the national chief of party’s youth wing BJYM, had on Hamirpur parliamentary seat in 2007 and 2009, earlier represented by his father Prem Kumar Dhumal. For Shimla, the party is once again banking on sitting MP Virender Kashyap.