Independent MLAs Prakash Rana and Hoshiar Singh joined the BJP on Wednesday. Both took the membership of the party in the presence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, BJP State President Suresh Kashyap and other senior leaders. Prakash Rana became MLA from Jogindernagar defeating Gulab Singh Thakur, who was the Revenue Minister in the Dhumal government, and Hoshiar Singh, who was the IPH minister, defeating Ravindra Singh Ravi.
Gulab Singh Thakur is the brother-in-law of former Chief Minister Dhumal and father-in-law of Union Minister Anurag Thakur, while Ravindra Ravi is also considered close to Dhumal. However, later both the independent MLAs supported the BJP government from outside. Both of them joined the BJP the very next day after the conclusion of the meeting of BJP’s core committee and state working committee which lasted for two days in Dhumal’s home district Hamirpur.
