CM’s wife a candidate, here are 2 reasons why winning Dehra bypoll a must for Congress
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The Dehra Assembly byelection in Himachal Pradesh has turned into a prestige battle for both the Congress and the BJP, with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu personally leading the campaign as his wife Kamlesh is contesting against BJP’s Hoshyar Singh.
Recognising the high stakes, both parties have deployed a substantial number of party workers and leaders in the constituency.
Chief Minister Sukhu has been actively holding street meetings to garner support for the Congress candidate, while the BJP has also maintained a strong presence.
The BJP has stationed former ministers and several MLAs in Dehra to bolster their campaign.
For the Congress, winning this seat is crucial for two main reasons. Firstly, since the constituency’s inception in 2012, the party has yet to secure a victory here.
Secondly, the current candidate is Kamlesh Thakur, the wife of Chief Minister Sukhu, making the election a matter of personal prestige for the CM. In an effort to secure a win, Cabinet Minister Chander Kumar has been appointed as the election in-charge for Dehra.
On the BJP side, the party has nominated Hoshyar Singh, who has previously served as an independent MLA from Dehra twice. Former Assembly Speaker Vipin Parmar is leading the BJP’s campaign efforts and has been stationed at the party office in Dehra.
Alongside him, MLAs Pawan Kajal and Rakesh Jamwal are actively campaigning across the constituency, forming a robust trio for the BJP.
Both parties have rolled out their star campaigners to boost their electoral prospects.
Currently, Chief Minister Sukhu is the primary star campaigner for the Congress. Although Congress state president Pratibha Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri were seen during Kamlesh Thakur’s nomination, their active participation in the campaign remains limited.
In contrast, the BJP’s campaign has been bolstered by former Union Minister and MP Anurag Thakur and party’s state president Dr Rajiv Bindal. Their involvement has provided a significant boost to the BJP’s efforts in the Dehra by-election.
