Rebellion in Dehra Congress over ticket to CM’s wife, leader who lost in 2022 cries bitterly in public, admitted to hospital

High drama was witnessed in Dehra town of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday (June 19, 2024) over the nomination of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s wife Kamlesh Thakur as the Congress candidate for the July 10 Assembly by-election.

The move has sparked rebellion within the party, particularly from Dr Rajesh Sharma, who was the Congress candidate in 2022 and had lost to Independent nominee Hoshyar Singh, who is fighting on the BJP ticket this time.

Dr Rajesh has announced his intention to run as an independent candidate. In a dramatic turn of events, Dr Rajesh voiced his grievances in an emotional meeting with his supporters on Wednesday. He alleged that Chief Minister Sukhu had detained him for nine hours at Oak Over (CM’s official residence in Shimla) and subjected him to threats of business closure and personal harm.

Dr Rajesh, a doctor by profession, claimed that even ministers were involved in pressuring him to withdraw from the electoral race. “If anything happens to my children in Pune or if I suffer a heart attack, Chief Minister Sukhu will be responsible,” Dr Rajesh declared emotionally, demanding a change in the Congress’ decision to field Kamlesh Thakur.

He criticised the Chief Minister for prioritising familial interests over party loyalty. “I am the commander of Dehra at this moment. The king’s duty is to protect the commander, but instead, Chief Minister Sukhu has fielded his queen to gain political advantage,” he said.

Following the intense meeting, Dr Rajesh reportedly felt unwell and was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Dehra by his supporters. His emotional outburst underscored the deep-seated discontent among local party members over the ticket allocation.

Responding to the controversy, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu defended his wife’s candidacy, citing a survey conducted that reportedly indicated strong local support and endorsement from panchayat pradhans. He explained that while he initially did not want his wife to contest, he had to comply with directives from the party’s high command, which had endorsed her candidacy.

“This decision was not my personal choice. It was a mandate from the party leadership,” Chief Minister Sukhu clarified. He highlighted his wife’s longstanding connection to Dehra, her maternal home and expressed confidence in her ability to secure the seat that has eluded the Congress in previous elections.