SHIMLA: Two Independent MLAs- Hoshiyar Singh from Dehra, Prakash Rana from Joginder Nagar assembly constituencies joined BJP on Wednesday. This, in turn, has set to trigger a "feud" among supporters of Gulab Singh Thakur in Jogindernagar and Ravinder Ravi in Dehra, both the veterans belong to the "Prem Kumar Dhumal Camp", ahead of the state assembly elections, say party workers.
The MLAs joined the party in the presence of BJP state president Suresh Kashyap and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, BJP state president Suresh Kashyap and other leaders.
Rana, a Gulf returned businessman, had won the last assembly election from Jogindernagar defeating Gulab Singh Thakur, a veteran BJP leader and father-in-law of Union Information Information and Broadcasting minister Anurag Singh Thakur. Congress candidate Jivan Singh Thakur had come as a poor third as Rana rode high on the power of his "Money bags", said the party workers.
"But Gulab Singh Thakur has not been in public for quite some time and moreover age is not on his side. He may now become BJP's Marg Darshak", while fate of Ravi remains uncertain, the party sources said.
On the other hand, Hoshiyar Singh, also a business man who has been abroad, had also trounced BJP former minister Ravinder Ravi, "who is a keyman of Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal's camp" and Congress veteran Viplov Thakur.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur along with BJP chief JP Nadda have learnt to have played a major role in their joining BJP, upsetting the "Dhumal camp", the sources said.
Suresh Kashyap said both the leaders Hoshiyar Singh and Prakash Rana were supporting the party in the assembly for a long time. Now they have joined party officially,, he said.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that two independent MLAs had cooperated with the government for last four and a half years.
“We have taken them into the party after consulting all the leaders”, Thakur said. "This step will strengthen the party and the government in the times to come".
Hoshiyar Singh and Prakash Rana will further strengthen the Modi government at the Center and our government in the state, CM said. BJP is in election mode and atmosphere favours the party in the state, Thakur said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister said Prime Minister is visiting Dharamshala on 16th and 17th June. Double engine government is working in Himachal and we will inaugurate AIIMS in July, he added.
The BJP's state executive meeting was a complete success and the meeting has given a message of unity to our party.