Ex-MLA Urmil Thakur, 3 others rejoin BJP in Himachal

Formal BJP MLA Urmil Thakur, late minister Narinder Bragta’s son Chetan Bragta and AAP leaders Rakesh Chaudhary and Joginder Panku on Thursday joined the ruling BJP in Himachal Pradesh. All four of these political leaders have earlier been associated with the saffron party. Thakur was elected as a member of legislative assembly (MLA) from Hamirpur in 1998 and 2007 on a BJP ticket. She later joined the Congress after denial of party ticket. Chetan Bragta, who was the state BJP IT cell convener, was expecting a party ticket from Jubbal-Kotkhai in the bypoll held in October last year after former minister and his father Narinder Bragta’s death due to Covid complications. However, the party chose former zila parishad member Neelam Seraik. Similarly, Rakesh Chaudhary was an aspirant of BJP ticket from Dharamshala in 2019 bypoll, but he contested as an independent in the absence of the ticket. He had later joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In the same way, a zila parishad member from Shahpur, Joginder Panku joined the AAP after leaving BJP a few months ago. All the four new entrants were welcomed to the party fold by BJP state in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna and state president Suresh Kashyap. PTI DJI SRY

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