Fielding CM Sukhu's wife from Dehra: A bold move by Congress, but fraught with risks

Tribune News Service

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, June 18

The Congress sprang a big surprise today by fielding Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s wife Kamlesh Thakur from the Dehra Assembly constituency for the forthcoming byelections. Rumours about the party high command fielding Sukhu’s wife had been doing the rounds for the past few days but the Chief Minister rubbished them.

HPCC member for 20 years

• The party high command has taken the decision to field Kamlesh Thakur
• Despite the risk involved, the Congress has bolstered its chances from Dehra by fielding the Chief Minister’s wife
• The fact that Kamlesh hails from Dehra will work in her favour in the bypoll
• Also, she has been a member of the HPCC for the past 20 years and has actively been engaged in Nadaun, Chief Minister’s home constituency

Nevertheless, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) fielded her from Dehra, ignoring the claim of Rajesh Sharma, frontrunner for the ticket from the constituency, to take on BJP’s Hoshiyar Singh, who had won the seat in the 2022 Assembly elections as an Independent candidate.

For the other two Assembly byelections, the Congress has already fielded Pushpender Verma from Hamirpur and Hardeep Singh Bawa from Nalagarh.

In political circles, the decision to field the Chief Minsiter’s wife is being seen as a bold move, but fraught with risks. “It is difficult to understand the rationale behind this adventurous move, which will appear to be a masterstroke if she wins, but what if she loses? Won’t the loss be a big embarrassment for the Chief Minister?” asked a Congress leader. “Also, won’t the decision expose the party and the Chief Minister to the allegation of ‘parivarvaad’?” he said.

Sources close to the Chief Minister, however, said that the party high command and not the Chief Minister had taken the decision to field Kamlesh Thakur. “The Congress has never won the Dehra Assembly seat. The party high command has asked the Chief Minister to strengthen the party in this constituency and win the seat. And as a true soldier of the party, the Chief Minister has accepted the responsibility,” they said.

Despite the risk involved, the Congress has bolstered its chances from Dehra by fielding the Chief Minister’s wife. Besides being the Chief Minister’s wife, the fact that Kamlesh hails from Dehra will work in her favour. Also, she is not a political novice – she has been a member of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee for the past 20 years and actively engaged in Nadaun, Chief Minister’s home constituency.

The BJP is battling dissidence among its local leaders, particularly former minister Ramesh Dhawala, over the allocation of ticket to Hoshiyar Singh and so it will need to raise its game several notches higher to defeat the Chief Minister’s wife.

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