After numerous leaders within the BJP either submitted independent nomination papers or declared their intention to contest independently due to their exclusion from the announced candidate list for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, the BJP declared on Friday that those opposing the official nominees would be expelled from the party for a six-year period.

The BJP revealed candidates for all 68 seats, excluding 11 incumbent MLAs and rearranging seats for others. Consequently, several leaders, including Vandana Guleria, the general secretary of the state Mahila Morcha and the daughter of Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur, resigned from the party. Additionally, Praveen Sharma, the party’s media co-incharge from Mandi Sadar; former MLA KL Thakur, and former Zila Parishad vice-president Naresh Darji submitted independent nominations in protest of being denied a BJP ticket. Praveen Sharma is set to contest from Mandi Sadar, KL Thakur from Nalagarh, and Naresh Darji from Hamirpur.

Amidst reports of discontented leaders organizing rallies against the party, BJP state president Suresh Kashyap emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for those jeopardizing the party’s electoral prospects. Kashyap stated that any leader contesting as an independent would not be readmitted to the party for six years, and immediate suspension awaits party workers found colluding against the party.

Contrary to his previous statement that the party had reached out to rebel leaders for a united front, Kashyap’s latest remarks signaled a more stringent stance. In Dharamsala, around 200 supporters of MLA Vishal Naihariya resigned after the BJP granted the ticket to Rakesh Chaudhary, a recent entrant from the Aam Aadmi Party who had left the Congress earlier.

In Karsog, the BJP introduced Deep Ram Kapoor, prompting resignations from several Yuva Morcha office bearers and their supporters. Similarly, in Aani, numerous BJP supporters, led by incumbent MLA Kishori Lal, protested against the party high command and resigned due to the allocation of the poll ticket to Lokender Kumar.

In Shahpur, Pankaj Kumar, a BJP Yuva Morcha office bearer, declared his intention to contest as an independent candidate after the party fielded minister Sarveen Chaudhary. MLA Jawahar Thakur from Drang also expressed dissatisfaction over not receiving a ticket.

Protests erupted in Shimla Urban as the BJP nominated Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj from Kasumpati instead of his current constituency, leading to discontent among his supporters. Additionally, Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania received the Fatehpur ticket instead of Nurpur, his current representation in the Vidhan Sabha.