In the charged mood of Women’s reservation all around the Bhartiya Janata Party in Himachal on Monday decided to give the Rajya Sabha ticket to one of its women leaders Ms Bimla Kashyap.
Ms Kashyap was a former President of State Mahila Morcha and presently a member in the National Executive of women cell also. She has defeated some very promising male leaders of the party who were also serious contenders for the post. The seat is being vacated by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma who is seeking re-elections now from Congress ruled Haryana or Maharashtra.
Ms Bimla Kashyap, a dark horse was not supported much by the local and State
leadership but ultimately shored up for the lone seat by senior leader Sushma Swaraj in Delhi, said inside party sources. Mr Shanta Kumar was backing a former Minister Radha Raman Shastri and Mr Dhumal was supporting Young leaders Chandra Mohan from Sirmaur and Dr Ashok Kapatia from Shimla.
The names of State party incharge Satpal Jain from Chandigarh and Mahendra Pandey an organising secretary of Himachal party unit but from Uttrakhand were also doing rounds from past some time. But their candidature was opposed as being “outsiders” by many State party leaders.
BJP National Vice President Shanta Kumar has welcomed the candidature of a woman candidate and State Mahila Morcha which has jointly lobbied for Ms Kashyap has also hailed the party high command’s decision.
