Ravi left high and dry after Shanta camp’s pressure,Dhumal keeps health portfolio

However,soon after,an annoyed Shanta Kumar and his camp lodged their protest with the party leadership in Delhi and also with Dhumal.

In fact,Ravi had been under attack by Shanta Kumar for quite some time and atleast two Kangra ministers,Ramesh Dhawala and Krishan Kapoor,besides three MLAs from the district had been up in arms against Ravi for his undue interference in their constituencies.

Long before Ravi could even assume charge on Wednesday,Dhumal was compelled to reverse his decision by Shanta Kumar’s lobby and decided to keep the portfolio for himself.

The portfolio disagreement suggests that despite the party high command having ostensibly brought in a rapprochement between the Shanta Kumar and Dhumal factions,the rift between the two still exists.

Just a day ago,on Wednesday,a Rohru MLA and Shanta Kumar loyalist Khushi Ram Balnataha resigned from three committees of the party,including the supreme decision-making core committee. Balnataha had sent a letter to BJP president Nitin Gadkari leveling charges of corruption against the BJP government and suggesting a change in leadership.