Wives of two high-profile politicians including that of union steel minister Virbhadra Singh failed to don the mantle of their husbands as their respective parties denied them tickets.
Wives of two high-profile politicians including that of union steel minister Virbhadra Singh failed to don the mantle of their husbands as their respective parties denied them tickets for the November 7 bypolls to "discourage nepotism" in politics.
While Congress denied ticket to Singh's former MP wife Pratibha Singh from Rohroo assembly seat in Shimla, the BJP said no to Sudha Sushant, wife of Kangra MP Rajan Sushant, from Jawali constituency in Kangra district.
Congress state president Kaul Singh Thakur and leader of the opposition in HP assembly Vidya Stokes described the party high command's decision as "judicious".
Welcoming the party decision on candidates, HP Congress spokesman Kuldeep Rathore threw "a challenge to chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal" to follow the same in his native Hamirpur from where Dhumal's son Anurg Thakur is MP.
BJP's state unit chief Khimi Ram said that by denying ticket to Sudha Sushant "the saffron party has given a strong statement against 'parivarwad' (nepotism) and its commitment to reward genuine party workers". The bypolls on the two assembly seats were necessitated after the sitting MLAs were elected to Lok Sabha.
Pratibha Singh, popularly known as 'Rani Sahiba' was eager to contest from Rohroo to keep her family hold over the seat.But, taking note of the recent statement of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi against people using "high connection" for getting position by their organisation, the party denied her ticket and chose Manjit Singh Thakur for Rohroo.
During his one-day tour of the hill state on October 13, the Amethi MP had observed that its a "reality" not only in Congress but also in other parties that people get high positions using "connection" and said that he was making efforts to end such nominations in Congress.
On the other hand, Sudha, who resigned as a government school teacher expecting her nomination, failed to get support from her husband's lobby as the BJP high command selected Chaudhary Baldev Raj from the four names short-listed by the party election committee.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}