Factionalism, infighting undermined BJP in Himachal Pradesh: report

Shimla: The BJP's failure in Himachal Pradesh has taken the sheen off its return to power in Gujarat.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur must be licking his wounds after losing to the Congress five Assembly seats under his Lok Sabha constituency, Hamirpur.

But the BJP national president JP Nadda can rejoice at winning all three seats in his hometown of Bilaspur for the BJP, according to NDTV.

Thakur's father and former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal used to contest here.

Now the Congress candidate for area won with a margin of 399 votes, very decisive indeed.

Dhumal did not get ticket this time just as the party and the leader himself announced his retirement.

On the other hand, immediately after the announcement, Thakur reportedly shed tears praising the 'hard work' of his father.

Interestingly, the BJP lost Boranj by a whisker of 60 votes while an independent candidate won in Hamipur Assembly seat.

Congress in a real show of renewed vigour bagged Barsar and Nadaun, adding to the woes of the BJP in the state.

BJP candidates won all three Assembly seats in Nadda's hometown of Bilaspur by narrow margins.

Following the BJP's fiasco in Himachal, the BJP workers criticised Anurag Thakur on social media for the infighting in the party.

Factionalism undermined the BJP in the state with Anurag Thakur and JP Nadda leading a group each while a third one supported Chief Minister Jairam Thakur.

In the thick of the BJP's factionalism, the Congress won 40 seats wresting power from the saffron party.