THE ‘DYNAST’ QUESTION
On October 8, when the BJP announced candidates for the bypolls in Himachal, in Jubbal Kotkhai, a remote constituency in the Upper Shimla region, Chetan Bragta reportedly wept on stage, in full view of the public. The seat had fallen vacant after the death of his father, BJP veteran Narendra Bragta, in June due to post-Covid complications, and Chetan had been hoping to succeed him. The party high command, though, preferred to go with a lesser known leader, Neelam Seraik, even though Bragta Jr had the backing of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.
In the bargain, Chetan turned a rebel Independent and cut into the BJP vote—to the benefit of Congress candidate Rohit Thakur, who won. Seraik forfeited her deposit. The
