Nalagarh bypoll face-off: Old rivals to slug it out in straight contest

The seat is set to witness a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress after years. Old rivals are once again pitted against each other. They share their views in an interview with Ambika Sharma

Will endeavour to make segment a model one

The BJP has fielded two-term MLA KL Thakur, who had won the 2022 Assembly election as an Independent candidate after being denied the party ticket. Though he has been inducted into the BJP he faces opposition from a section of party cadre. He, however, is optimistic of retaining the seat as the party had got an impressive lead of more than 15,000 votes in the recent Lok Sabha poll in Nalagarh.

• Do you think people will support you once again as you had resigned as an Independent MLA?

People are supporting me as they have seen how various development works have suffered in the one-and-a-half-year rule of the Congress regime. Key institutions like Baruna Degree College, health institutes at Duli and Panjhera and the BDO office at Ramshahar opened during the previous BJP government had been closed. These institutes were catering to a large section of rural populace. Even the decision to upgrade the Nalagarh hospital to a 200-bed facility has been reversed. Though several requests were made to the Chief Minister, no institution had been re-started.

• What is your vision for the Nalagarh Assembly seat which is a combination of plains and hilly area?

Efforts will be made to make Nalagarh a model segment. Central funds would be sought to construct check dams on four khuds in the hilly areas to resolve the problem of drinking water as well as irrigation. Since groundwater is facing excessive exploitation, the construction of check dams will help in utilising surface water.

• What are the problems of your Assembly segment as you have been vociferously raising the issue of deteriorating law and order?

The problem of heroin consumption among the youth is increasing, besides the deteriorating law and order. The state government is discouraging industries by enhancing power tariffs and taxes, which acted as a deterrent to creating more jobs. The Baddi-Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority has received a budget of merely a few lakhs of rupees as against Rs 100 crore granted by the previous BJP government. This has halted all development works.

Hope people will give me a chance to serve them

The Congress has fielded Hardeep Bawa, who is trying his luck at the hustings for the third time. While he had contested once as an Independent candidate and then on the Congress ticket, he believes people will give him a chance to serve them, as he has been doing for the past 10 years.

• You lost the last two Assembly elections and the Congress could not secure a lead in your constituency in the Lok Sabha elections. Why do you think you have a chance now?

The BJP’s vote share has declined sharply. They had secured a lead of more than 39,000 votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but it was reduced to 15,000 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. I have been consistently working with people and I am hopeful they will give me a chance this time.

• Are you merely banking on the decline in the performance of the BJP in the past elections?

Our cadre at the ground level is fully geared up and the party is consolidating the voter share due to consistent grass-root level works which I and my party have undertaken. The reduction in the BJP’s voter share is an illustration of our growing support.

• Is paucity of funds hampering development activities in your segment and people are suffering due to closure of health and other institutes?

I plan to bring funds from the government to ensure that development activities pick up in the constituency. The state had suffered huge losses due to a major rain disaster last year and my area had suffered the most. I stood with people and tried to help them in every possible way.

• Nalagarh suffers from the growing drug menace and the lack of unemployment with industries facing the brunt of high taxes. Your views?

The industries should not be levied more taxes and I will try to address this issue as they generate jobs. Curbing drug addiction and fetching jobs for the youth are my priorities, which I will try to address.