Deliberate of faux pas? Himachal ex-CM Jai Ram told to accept Kangana Ranaut’s memento at BJP meet
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In curious turn of events at the BJP’s Himachal Pradesh “Vistarak Smriti” meeting held in Una recently, a peculiar incident involving Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur left the audience in sudden silence.
The incident, which occurred on the second day of the meeting, raised questions about whether it was a simple faux pas or a deliberate act.
During the meeting, the stage was set for felicitating the newly elected MPs and MLAs, with BJP’s national vice-president Saudan Singh, state in-charge Shrikant Sharma, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, and other senior leaders present.
As the ceremony progressed, the names of various dignitaries, including MPs Anurag Thakur and Harsh Mahajan, were called out to receive their honours.
However, when it came to actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, who was unable to attend the meeting, stage operator and BJP leader Rashmi Sood called upon former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to receive the shawl, cap and memento on Kangana’s behalf.
Despite being called thrice, Jai Ram appeared visibly uncomfortable and suggested that Govind Thakur, former Manali MLA and the in-charge of the Mandi parliamentary constituency, should receive the memento instead. Subsequently, Govind Thakur was handed Kangana’s honour.
The incident created a brief but noticeable silence in the hall, prompting speculation about whether it was a coincidence, a mistake or a calculated political move. To shed light on the matter, The Newz Radar reached out to Una BJP district president and former Chintpurni MLA Balbir Singh Chaudhary.
He clarified that the incident was an error on the part of BJP leader Rashmi Sood, who was conducting the stage. According to Chaudhary, once Jai Ram made his suggestion, the memento was appropriately handed over to Govind Thakur.
Rashmi Sood, when contacted, reiterated that calling out Jai Ram Thakur’s name was not premeditated. She explained that his name was mentioned only because he was a key coordinator in the Mandi Lok Sabha election.
