Shimla: BJP vice president Shanta Kumar on Monday warned party rebels that the party`s doors would be shut for them for ever if they contest against official candidates in coming assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh.
The former chief minister, who was here for the release of party manifesto, said "I have personally appealed to rebels thrice to withdraw but they refused and now action would be taken against them".
"These leaders, who have remained MLAs five or six times, have betrayed the party and I would tell the people to teach a lesson by defeating them in the polls", he added.
Observing that "political pollution" has affected BJP also, he said there were thousands of workers who have worked for the party for fifty years and never asked for anything but a new class of leader was emerging which was not willing to give the claim for party ticket and going to the extent of "revolting" against the party in case of denial of ticket.
Meanwhile the AICC general secretary and Election In-charge Himachal Pradesh Choudhary Birender Singh, today expressed surprise over the statement of Shanta Kumar that Prem Kumar Dhumal will become the chief minister for the third time, saying "it`s simply a marriage of convenience".
Chaudhary said it was Kumar, who had during the past five years of the BJP government, openly criticised Dhumal and his MP-son Anurag Thakur over alleged corruption, illegal purchase of land and assets and their style of functioning but "surprisingly, the man who is known for his ideology, principles, discipline and political decency has surrendered himself", he said.
"It`s simply an endorsement of corruption and the new-found patch up has exposed the credibility of Kumar", he added.
"The man (Shanta) who was humiliated publicly a number of
times by Dhumal`s blue-eyed minister Ravinder Ravi and even threatened to quit all party posts is surprisingly singing paens for Dhumal", the Congress leader said.
"It seemed that Kumar is happy after his dream project of hospital in Palampur was fulfilled by Dhumal", he added.
Senior BJP leaders like Khushi Ram Balnatah, Maheshwar Singh and sitting MP Rajan Sushant have embarrassed BJP a number of times by levelling serious allegations of corruption against the party and seeking change in leadership, he said.
PTI
