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BJP to project Dhumal in Himachal

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party will project the former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal as its candidate for the top job in the State in the coming Assembly elections.

Although a decision in his favour was taken several months ago, it was formalised at the meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Board here on Monday after party president Rajnath Singh and some other senior leaders spoke to and ensured the cooperation of Shanta Kumar, another former Chief Minister, also seen as a Chief Ministerial aspirant. Apparently the leadership has promised him a Rajya Sabha seat and “accommodation” at the Centre in the event of the BJP coming to power in 2009 or whenever Lok Sabha elections are held. Mr. Dhumal told The Hindu that the decision to project him would help strengthen the BJP in the lower Himachal region, to which he belongs.

BJP campaign organisers are confident that the party would exploit in-fighting in the Congress and make corruption a big issue. Meanwhile, the party’s third and final list was released here on Monday. Mr. Dhumal will contest the election from Bumsan; for the capital Shimla, the party’s candidate is Suresh Kumar Bharadwaj; it is Kushiran Bal Nahta for Rohru; Vijay Agnihotri for Nadaun; Narendra Kumar Sharma for Chintpoorni; Pradeep Sharma for Palampur; Mansharam for Karsaun; and the Mandi assembly seat will be contested by Pravin Kumar Sharma.

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BJP to project Dhumal in Himachal

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