Congress Faces Uphill Battle in Dehra, Blame Falls on CM’s Close Aide”
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The Newz Radar
Dehra/Jawalamukhi: As the by-elections approach, the Dehra constituency presents a formidable challenge for the Congress party, with its prospects overshadowed by the alleged influence of a alleged close aide to Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.
Dr. Rajesh Sharma, a prominent Congress leader, had significantly bolstered the party’s presence in this constituency, garnering nearly 19,120 votes in the previous assembly elections, while the BJP trailed with 16,730 votes. Even the formidable Viplove Thakur, a prominent female leader, had found Dehra a challenging battleground.
Despite Congress’s resurgence in Dehra following the 2022 assembly elections, where they lost to independent candidate Hoshiyar Singh, the intervention of Nardev Kanwar, an alleged confidant of Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, has complicated matters.
Kanwar’s overt involvement in constituency affairs, seemingly to establish his own political foothold, has raised eyebrows, particularly after an incident where Dr. Rajesh Sharma was denied a platform to share the stage with Sukhu during a public event.
This incident has left a negative impression on voters and supporters of Dr. Rajesh Sharma. The unexpected turn of events in the lead-up to the by-elections has led many to attribute Congress’s challenges in Dehra to Nardev Kanwar’s interference.
Despite Dr. Rajesh Sharma’s efforts to integrate himself into the constituency, including purchasing property and establishing businesses, mismanagement by local leadership threatens to undermine Congress’s prospects.
Moreover, the recent joining of independent MLA Hoshiyar Singh to the BJP, coupled with his ongoing protest to have his resignation accepted by the speaker, further complicates the electoral landscape in Dehra. As anticipation mounts for the upcoming by-elections, the outcome remains uncertain, with the political future of Dehra hanging in the balance.
