CPI(M) leader Kushal Bhardwaj scores hat-trick, wins ZP seat in BJP bastion
Mandi, June 1
Senior CPI(M) leader Kushal Bhardwaj has registered a significant victory in the Zila Parishad elections by winning the Bharyara (Chuntra) ward in Jogindernagar, a region considered a stronghold of the BJP. The victory marks a hat-trick for Bhardwaj in electoral politics, having successfully won Zila Parishad elections for the third consecutive time.
According to the official counting sheet, Bhardwaj secured 5,485 votes, defeating his nearest rival Kesar Singh, who polled 3,016 votes, by a margin of 2,469 votes. The result is being viewed as a major political achievement for the CPI(M) in an area where the BJP enjoys considerable political influence.
Bhardwaj, a member of the CPI(M) State Secretariat and former president of the Students’ Central Association (SCA) of Himachal Pradesh University, shifted from his previous Zila Parishad constituency to contest from the Chuntra ward. Despite the change of constituency, he managed to secure a comfortable victory.
Political observers note that the contest assumed greater significance as local BJP leadership, including the party’s MLA from Jogindernagar, reportedly campaigned actively against Bhardwaj. Nevertheless, the CPI(M) leader succeeded in consolidating support across the constituency.
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Known for his grassroots activism and involvement in public movements, Bhardwaj’s victory is being interpreted by CPI(M) supporters as an endorsement of issue-based politics over party affiliations. Party leaders claimed the result reflects growing public acceptance of alternative political voices in Mandi district.
The CPI(M) has maintained a presence in local self-government institutions in parts of Mandi district, and Bhardwaj’s latest victory is expected to further strengthen the party’s position in the region. Political analysts believe the outcome indicates that a section of voters is increasingly inclined towards leaders with a strong public connect and mass-based credentials rather than candidates backed solely by major political parties.
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