Himachal: Induct new leaders but don’t forget old ones, says ex-CM Shanta Kumar
The two-time former CM and one of the founding members of the BJP, Shanta Kumar was elected to the Lok Sabha four times. He was the first non-Congress leader to take charge as HP CM in 1977.
Hinting at a brewing resentment in Bharatiya Janta Party’s (BJP) state unit, former chief minister Shanta Kumar, in an X post on Friday, wrote that new people should be welcomed, but the respect of the old ones should not be lowered in the party. “On one hand the party (BJP) is going through a glorious golden era (under leadership of PM Narendra Modi) all over India and on the other side the situation within the party (in HP) is extremely worrying,” Shanta Kumar stated.
Resentment is said to have been growing in the BJP as a few are “feeling ignored” with the induction of leaders hopping over from the Congress. “The respect of BJP leaders who have protected the respect of the party by rejecting crores of rupees in times of crisis should be taken care of,” said Shanta Kumar without naming anyone.
The two-time former CM and one of the founding members of the BJP, Shanta Kumar was elected to the Lok Sabha four times. He was the first non-Congress leader to take charge as chief minister of Himachal Pradesh in 1977.
Shanta Kumar has apparently referred to former minister Ramesh Dhawala of Dehra who, after being elected as an independent MLA in 1998, had supported the BJP leading to formation of the BJP government under Prem Kumar Dhumal.
Dhawala, once a firebrand leader, has become vocal against his own party (BJP) these days. The OBC leader on Friday held a meeting of disgruntled workers in Dehra that was attended by the “ignored” leaders of Dehra and Jwalamukhi constituencies.
