Shimla: Amid intense speculation over who will be BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in Himachal Pradesh, there is possibility the saffron party will adopt the ‘Uttrakhand formula’ where it did not project anybody for the top post.

Among the frontrunners for the top job in HP, where assembly polls will be held later this month, are Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal. It is possible that it will delay the decision in order to leave both the factions within the party guessing, party sources said today. BJP incharge of Himachal affairs, Satyapal Jain said that the party’s parliamentary board would settle on the issue at an “appropriate time”.

Describing Kumar and Dhumal as “two tall leaders of the party in the hill state,” Jain said one among them would be the CM while another would go to Delhi for national duty.

Jain said the leadership question was not a big issue for the party in the state right now.

“Neither Kumar nor Dhumal are pressing the issue. Both of them have said they will abide by the party’s decision,” Jain said, adding that the two leaders are working together to bring BJP to power in HP.

While Shanta Kumar, currently BJP’s national vice president,has served as the Himachal chief minister twice— -in 1977 and 1990—-Dhumal, who quit his assembly seat and won Hamirpur Lok Sabha byelection in June last, was in that chair from 1998 to 2003.

The two leaders have large followings amongst the saffron brigade in the state. Congress has time and again highlighted the issue of leadership dispute facing BJP in the hill state.

Source : Agencies