Himachal Polls: Kullu's Royal Scion Not to Contest as Independent After BJP Top Brass Intervenes
By: Swati Bhan
Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee
Last Updated: October 28, 2022, 20:57 IST
Kullu, India
Former MP Maheshwar Singh, scion of the erstwhile princely state of Kullu, made his decision after meeting BJP national president JP Nadda. (Image: @Maheshwar Singh/Twitter)
Former MP Maheshwar Singh told his supporters he will not be contesting the upcoming assembly elections, scheduled on November 12, from Kullu Sadar constituency
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Former MP Maheshwar Singh, who was threatening to rebel against the BJP, has finally relented and decided to withdraw his nomination from Kullu Sadar constituency in Himachal Pradesh after the intervention of the saffron party's top brass. He told his supporters he will not be contesting the upcoming assembly elections scheduled on November 12.
The scion of the erstwhile princely state of Kullu, Singh made his decision only after discussions with his supporters and many a hectic parley, which included one with national president JP Nadda.
The BJP leadership had summoned Singh and sent a helicopter to bring him to Shimla on Thursday. The party was apprehensive over the leader fighting the upcoming assembly elections as an Independent and felt that his bid may cause considerable damage to its candidates' prospects in all four constituencies of Kullu district, especially Kullu Sadar and Banjar.
Singh got irked after the party withdrew his ticket from Kullu Sadar as a result of his failure to convince his son to withdraw as an independent candidate from the adjoining seat of Banjar against BJP candidate Surender Shourie.
In a meeting with his supporters, Singh said he had decided not to contest the elections and will withdraw his nomination. He added that Nadda had assured him of "justice". "Our ancestors have been anti-Congress and we don't have a culture where we badmouth leaders and challenge the incumbent chief minister," Singh told News18.
He said he had not been assured of any party post and just wanted due recognition and respect. He added that he had told Nadda that if his supporters were ignored, it will not bode well for the party.
"It is my last election but I will keep pursuing pending development works in the constituency. Even the party leadership has assured me that pending development works in Kullu will be taken up on priority," Singh said, adding that he will canvass for BJP candidate Narotam Singh in Kullu Sadar. However, his son Hiteshwar Singh has not yet decided if he will be withdrawing his nomination papers from the Banjar seat.
The BJP is facing rebellion from its leaders in Kullu district with even state vice-president Ram Singh filing nomination papers from Banjar as an independent candidate. Sitting MLA from Anni constituency, Kishori Lal is also contesting independently. Lal was dropped and his ticket given to Lokender Kumar, who was the CPI candidate in the 2017 elections.
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