NEW DELHI, November 18: The BJP's Himachal Pradesh unit is in a turmoil, with former chief minister Shanta Kumar on the warpath after he was unilaterally suspended from taking part in the state presidential polls.

According to party insiders, BJP general secretary Narendra Modi, who is in charge of HP affairs, is being blamed for the mess and a demand has been made that he be recalled. Shanta Kumar has also petitioned the RSS. He has met RSS chief Rajju Bhaiyya and H V Seshadri during his one-week stay.

The party High Command is grappling with the vertical divide in the state unit but has been unable to resolve the matter so far. ``I will not go back to Himachal until I get justice,'' declared Shanta Kumar today. He alleged that there was a ``deep controversy'' to isolate him in the party.

He has been camping in the Capital since Tuesday, meeting senior leaders including BJP President L K Advani, Khushabhai Thakre, M M Joshi and Madan Lal Khurana. He also explained his case to Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and is scheduled to meet Atal Behari Vajpayee tomorrow.

``I have full faith in my High Command,'' Shanta Kumar told ENS today. He has also pointed out to leaders here that the BJP is now on the doorstep of power in Delhi and cannot afford to send a message that it is unable to conduct free and fair elections within the party.

He has demanded the immediate revocation of his suspension; removal of the state returning officer, Roop Singh Thakur; and holding free and fair elections for the post of state unit president.

Shanta Kumar is learned to have told party bosses here that 60 out of the 83 elected delegates (who vote for the president) supported him.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.