Party of elected MLA from the seat was always holding govt reins
Shimla | TNR
In the past six decades, MLAs from Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly seat have had the unique distinction of belonging to a political party that held the reins of the Himachal Pradesh government.
Bypolls are scheduled to be held for this assembly seat following the death of BJP MLA Narendra Baragata.
Only one exception
There was only one exception in the unique track record of the Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly seat. It was in 1998 when Congress party candidate won the elections from this seat but the BJP went on to form the government with the help of five MLAs of Himachal Vikas Congress. Prem Kumar Dhumal had become the Chief Minister then
Congress stronghold
Initial moves have been made on the political chessboard for the Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly bypolls. The assembly seat has been a Congress stronghold in the past with candidates from the party winning elections from this seat on 11 occasions. A candidate from Janata Dal won once and twice candidates from BJP won elections from this seat. Political pundits think that the fight for this seat would be a tough one this time. Congress candidates won without a break from 1952 to 1985.
Janata Dal won the seat
It was in 1990 that a three-time Chief Minister of the state, Ramlal Thakur, crossed over to the Janata Dal and went on to win the Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly seat. Shanta Kumar went on to hold the reins of the government post the assembly elections.
Ramlal Thakur returned to the Congress fold in 1993 and won from this seat in 1993 and then in 1998. In 2003 his grandson Rohit Thakur won the seat as Congress candidate. Rohit Thakur had become MLA from this seat twice.
BJP won twice
BJP’s candidate Narendra Baragata, who was the sitting MLA from this seat, had won in 2007 and 2017.
Congress may bank on Rohit and BJP on Chetan
Political pundits believe that the Congress may bank on Rohit Thakur, who has already won twice in the past and was a parliamentary secretary. The BJP, it is believed, may bank on Chetan Baragata, son of the late MLA Narendra Baragata. A claim has been staked for contesting the seat by BJP’s Neelam Sarek but chances are that the party would try to cash in on the sympathy wave
List of Jubbal-Kotkhai MLAs
1952 – Bala Nand, Congress
1963 – Ram Lal, Congress
1972 – Ram Lal, Congress
1977 – Ram Lal, Congress
1980 – Ram Lal, Congress
1982 – Ram Lal, Congress
1985 – Virbhadra Singh, Congress
1990 – Ram Lal, Janata Dal
1993 – Ram Lal, Congress
1998 – Ram Lal, Congress
2003 – Rohit Thakur, Congress
2007 – Narendra Baragata, BJP
2012 – Rohit Thakur, Congress
2017 – Narendra Baragata, BJP
