3-day Himachal BJP meet to discuss bypoll debacle

A three-day state executive meeting of Himachal Pradesh BJP will begin on Wednesday to discuss reasons for the party's defeat in the October 30 bypolls in the state -- results of which were declared on November 2, a party leader said on Tuesday.

In the bypolls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost all the three assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat to the rival Congress.

A senior party leader said that the three-day meeting of the Himachal Pradesh BJP executive will be held from November 24 here.

"Tomorrow (Wednesday), core group meeting will take place. On November 25, meetings of extended core group and state office bearers will be held. On November 26, a meeting of Himachal BJP state executive will be held," he said.


Another senior party leader said the BJP state executive meet will discuss and find out reasons for its defeat in the by-polls from one Lok Sabha and three assembly constituencies.

The Congress won in the by-polls of all three assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh -- Fatehpur, Jubbal-Kotkhai and Arki.

In Jubbal-Kotkhai, BJP candidate Neelam Seraik came third behind party's rebel candidate Chetan Bragta, former head of party Himachal Pradesh IT department and son of former minister of Himachal Pradesh Narendra Bragta.


Sources said that state in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, and union minister and Lok Sabha member Anurag Thakur will attend the meeting.

Himachal Pradesh BJP chief Suresh Kumar Kashyap will chair the three-day meeting.

It has been learnt that apart from deliberating on the reasons for the humiliating loss in the by-polls, the BJP state leadership is likely to discuss corrective measures keeping in mind the next year's Himachal Pradesh assembly polls.


"By-poll results show that there is some disconnect with the people. During the meeting, the state leadership will discuss and finalise the public reachout programme for future," a senior leader said. -IANS