“Anurag got ticket on merits as a loyal, dedicated and able party worker”
Bijender Sharma writes from Jawalamukhi: The state chief Minister Mr. Prem Kumar Dhumal today categorically made it clear that the party had given the ticket to his son, Anurag Thakur, as he had worked the Party with complete loyalty and dedication so this could not be termed as nepotism. He said he was indebted to the Party for reposing faith in Anurag and this had increased his responsibility all the more. Dhumal said, One can not deny the ticket to a capable person because he happens to be member of my family. Nepotism, issue can only be raised when individual concerned has not made any contribution to the party.
The BJP’s candidate from Hamirpur constituency, which goes to the polls on May 22, Anurag Thakur, would win the by-elections with a huge margin and set the trend for the next general elections wherein the party will sweep all the four seats in the state, he added. Mr Dhumal , said the Congress party had no issues to seek the support of the people in these elections. ”Soaring prices and a humiliated and divided state Congress organization were the factors that will spell doom for their candidate,” he said. The State Chief Minister said that the Congress had no moral right to seek public mandate since the people of the state had totally rejected them just three months ago. The coming years belong to the BJP, which would have government at the Centre and the states, he said. Hamirpur seat had fallen vacant after the resignation of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in January. Dhumal was elected to the Lok Sabha in June 2007, but after taking over as Chief Minister, he resigned. In 2004, the seat was won by BJP’s three-time MP Suresh Chandel. But, after he was caught in a question-cash scam, Chandel was expelled from the Parliament.BJP candidate Anurag Thakur is son of Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal and was a very popular face among the youths in the state. His contribution to promote cricket in the state had been lauded by all the sections of the society. In the past he always kept himself busy in social services and activities to strengthen party. Despite the fact that previous congress government had opened a big front against him and had created a parallel Cricket association in the state to create every hindrance from Delhi to Shimla to halt the development and welfare activities being initiated by the state Cricket Association headed by him for the betterment of Cricket and Cricketers. But Anurag Thakur shows exemplary maturity and did not indulge in the ‘Cricket Politics’ started by some Congress leaders. He silently continued to serve the cricket, youths of the state and ultimately won every fight of his ‘cricket mission’ against all odds. Even in the last Hamirpur by elections he was well projected by the media as one of the most suitable candidate for the BJP ticket.
