BJP in dilemma over picking CM face in Himachal Pradesh

New Delhi: BJP central leadership, which has declared its chief ministerial candidates for the coming elections in Gujarat and Karnataka, is in a dilemma about whether or not to project a face for the Himachal Pradesh elections.

Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will go to polls by the end of this year, whereas Assembly elections in Karnataka are scheduled early next year.

Though the Central leadership has indicated that it will hold a meeting soon to take a final call on the issue, sources said a majority of the saffron cadre are against projecting any chief ministerial candidate in Himachal Pradesh as the party’s state unit is marred by factionalism.

The hill state is currently under Congress’ rule, which has already launched its “Mission Repeat” under the leadership of chief minister Virbhadra Singh. There are 68 Assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh and the BJP is confident that it will come back to power. The BJP’s main poll plank is going to be anti-corruption, development and good governance.

Names of former chief minister P.K. Dhumal, Union minister J.P. Nadda, senior leaders Jairam Thakur and Satpal Singh Satti and RSS leader Ajay Jamwal are doing the rounds for the top post in the state.

Those in favour of projecting a face in the coming Assembly elections are of the view that it would also help the saffron outfit for the 2019 general elections as the state unit will have a “strong leader” to lead them in the Lok Sabha elections. However, feedback, including from the RSS, suggests that the BJP should go without a chief ministerial candidate as “favouring one camp” would only dent the party’s poll prospects.

The state core group is expected to meet soon to finalise its election strategy and to initiate the process of candidate selection.