The Congress has decided to field Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh's wife Kamlesh Thakur, 54, from Dehra assembly constituency in the July bypolls in Himachal Pradesh.
Hardly had the dust settled on Himachal Pradesh바카라™s political landscape, battered by the unusual heatwave and the Congress MLA바카라™s rebellion early this year, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu surprised the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and his party detractors. With three bypolls to be held on July 10, the Congress has decided to field Kamlesh Thakur, 54, Sukhu바카라™s wife for the Dehra assembly constituency.
The bypolls for Hamirpur, Nalagarh and Dehra have been necessitated due to the resignations of three independents after cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections in February 2024, who thereafter joined the BJP, along with six disqualified Congress MLAs, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections this year. Only two of them have got re-elected on BJP tickets while four lost their seats. It바카라™s now the turn of the independents to fight for their electoral fortunes from the BJP바카라™s pitch.
But, Sukhu having strengthened his position already by winning four assembly seats, the Congress tally in the assembly has increased to 38 in the 68-member House. The Congress will be fighting the bypolls primarily to consolidate its political strength and to keep the BJP under check against attempts to topple his government.
It is in this spirit that he favoured the entry of Thakur in politics through the electoral route of Dehra, which is her birthplace.
Sukhu says, 바카라śI was not willing that my wife should contest the elections. Even during the Lok Sabha polls, the party high command told me to field her from Hamirpur, but I refused. This time again, when the high command asked me, I could not say no.바카라ť
He says that winning Dehra바카라”where the party has not been able to get a foothold since 1998바카라”is the party바카라™s acid test this time as Thakur belongs to Dehra.
바카라śMy constituency Nadaun also borders Dehra. Some of the surveys done by the party also strongly weighed in her favour,바카라ť he told Outlook.
This is not the first time when a sitting chief minister has backed his wife to fight for a seat in the state assembly. Earlier, the wife of the then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Pratibha Singh contested from the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency in 2004.
Relatively a private person, Thakur has never been in the spotlight, except managing her husband바카라™s campaign behind the scenes, looking after the household and bringing up two daughters.
She is pitted against Hoshyar Singh, a two-time independent MLA, who is now the BJP바카라™s candidate. Asked how she sees her prospects in her maiden electoral battle against a two-time MLA바카라•in a constituency which the Congress has never won since 1998바카라•Kamlesh Thakur says, 바카라śWell, it바카라™s up to the people to make a choice as to who can meet their expectations and provide new wings of development to the constituency. I and my husband will definitely make a difference.바카라ť
Thakur contesting the bypoll has also sparked a political debate as to how long the Congress can promote dynastic politics. There are already signs of an open rebellion in the party as Rajesh Sharma, a the Congress바카라™ state treasurer, who had unsuccessfully contested the election against Hoshyar Singh in 2022, has accused Chief Minister Sukhu of betrayal; he says he was promised a ticket and was already campaigning in the area.
바카라śIt is proven, the family comes first for Sukhu, who kept me hostage for nine hours at his residence and pressured me to support Thakur in the constituency. If he died, an unnatural or natural death, only CM Sukhu should be held responsible,바카라ť he declared on reaching Dehra. He was earlier hospitalised following a panic attack. Sharma has announced that he will contest as an independent.
Thakur, however, says: 바카라śSharma is like my brother, I will convince him to support me, instead of fighting the election.바카라ť She has already announced a slogan, 바카라śdaughter of Dehra바카라ť.
The BJP was quick to encash on the political drama taking place in Dehra by visiting Sharma in the hospital and criticising the Congress for ignoring his claim. However Sukhu loyalist, Satpal Raizada, who was the Congress candidate against BJP바카라™s Anurag Thakur in Hamirpur, accused Sharma of creating emotional scenes to get sympathy of the people.
BJP candidate Hoshyar Singh mocked the decision: 바카라śKamlesh Thakur바카라™s candidacy is an insult to local women and an example of dynastic politics.바카라ť
With critics labelling this as nepotism, supporters of Sukhu are enthusiastic claiming that 바카라śBhabhi바카라ť will be a strong representative of the constituency. 바카라śHer entry into politics marks a significant departure from her previous role, primarily as the spouse of a politician,바카라ť says Amarjeet Singh Raina, a Sukhu lieutenant. He says Sukhu has made it clear that in the next assembly election, only one of two (he or his wife) will contest the assembly poll. Her candidature is just a response to the situation and ensures that the Congress position is strengthened in Dehra바카라”which is part of Anurag Thakur바카라™s parliamentary constituency, though falls in Kangra.
Many believe that Sukhu바카라™s decision to field his wife in the bypoll reflects a strategic manoeuvre after he had faced a BJP bid to topple his government and the rebellion of six MLAs, despite the Congress having won 40 seats in 2022 poll against 25 of the BJP. After the disqualification of the six rebels, the Congress바카라™ strength had dropped to 34, but now it has increased to 38.
But Sukhu is seeing the Dehra bypoll as an opportunity to improve the party바카라™s presence in the state because of Kangra바카라™s political significance바카라•it is the biggest district in the state with 15 assembly seats. The Congress had won 10 seats in Kangra. The number got reduced to nine following the election of BJP바카라™s Sudhir Sharma from Dharamshala.
In such a situation, Sukhu would like to take the party바카라™s tally 10 ten by winning this seat. It will be equally challenging for the BJP to improve its tally and bring it to six.
Two other bypolls are happening in Nalagarh, Solan district, and Hamirpur in CM바카라™s home district. The Congress has fielded Hardeep Singh Bawa and Pushpendra Verma from Nalagarh and Hamirpur respectively.