By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 21 Jun: BJP’s state leadership must be greatly relieved as it has managed to convince rebel BJP leader Virendra Singh Bhandari to withdraw his nomination as an independent candidate on Badrinath Assembly By-poll. It may be recalled that Virendra Pal Singh Bhandari, is a cousin of the BJP candidate on Badrinath seat and former MLA Rajendra Singh Bhandari.
And while Rajendra Singh Bhandari has been a Congress leader and has only joined the BJP recently and resigned from the assembly. Virendra Singh Bhandari has been a long time BJP leader. Virendra Pal Singh Bhandari has never got the BJP ticket from this seat as from here, BJP State President Mahendra Bhatt had been contesting the elections on BJP ticket but now is a Rajya Sabha MP. Virendra Pal Singh Bhandari too holds a considerable influence in the constituency and had openly objected to the BJP decision to induct Rajendra Singh Bhandari into the party. Soon after, he announced his decision to contest the assembly by-poll as an independent candidate.
However, the BJP’s state leadership led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and BJP State soon got in touch with Virendra Pal Singh Bhandari and after several rounds of discussion, Dhami and Bhatt finally managed to convince Virendra Singh Bhandari to withdraw nomination. In the last assembly election, Badrinath seat had been won by the then Congress candidate Rajendra Singh Bhandari against BJP’s Mahendra Bhatt and is therefore not considered to be a cakewalk for the party. Had Virendra Singh Bhandari not withdrawn, it could have been a major challenge for the BJP to win the byelection. Now, the BJP hopes to win this seat more “easily” as compared to the Manglaur seat which is also having the by-poll on 10 July. Congress has announced arch rival of Rajendra Singh Bhandari and senior party leader Lakhpat Singh Butola as its candidate from Badrinath seat.
After agreeing to withdraw his nomination, Virendra Pal Singh Bhandari today posted his photo with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and BJP State President Mahendra Bhatt on his social media account. He has also informed that he has decided to withdraw nomination as BJP leadership was responsive to the issues raised by him. He also admitted that Mahendra Bhatt is his political mentor and guru. He added that he was also given an opportunity to meet CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and now he will work hard and with full dedication to make BJP win the Badrinath By-election.
