Shimla, June 4,
The ruling Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government got a fresh lease of life after winning four by-election seats in the assembly. However, in a major setback, the party lost all four Lok Sabha elections.
The election results of the Sujanpur, Gagret, Lahaul Spiti, and Kutlehar by-elections went in favor of the Congress party. The 15-month-old Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government secured a clear majority, now having 38 members.
Congress lost the Dharmshala and Barsar by-elections to the BJP, increasing the saffron party’s tally to 27 in the 14th Legislative Assembly.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri was active in selecting the candidates and ensured the victory of two Congress MLAs in Una district. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu couldn’t save the Barsar assembly seat but managed to retain the Sujanpur assembly seat. Rajinder Rana, who contested on a BJP ticket, lost to Captain Ranjeet Rana by a margin of 2,440 votes.
It is worthwhile to mention that Rajinder Rana defeated Prem Kumar Dhumal by almost the same margin in the 2017 assembly elections, preventing the former CM from securing a third term. It was a golden opportunity for Prof. Dhumal and his son Anurag Thakur to seek revenge against Rana.
Ranjeet Rana, the BJP candidate in the 2022 assembly elections, lost to Rajinder Rana but was fielded by Congress as the latter was disqualified by the Speaker for defying the whip of Congress in the assembly and cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha election.
Interestingly, in the simultaneous elections for LS and assembly by-elections, Anurag Thakur secured a lead of 23,756 votes from the Sujanpur assembly compared to the 2,440-vote defeat of Rajinder Rana, who was punished for betraying the Dhumal family by the electorate.
There was a general sentiment among the voters of Sujanpur against Rajinder Rana, as they couldn’t sacrifice a second chief minister from the Hamirpur district after Dhumal’s defeat in the 2017 assembly elections. Rajinder Rana was perceived to have conspired to topple the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government.
However, Inderdut Lakhanpal secured his victory in a tough electoral battle, as he was not a protagonist like Rajinder Rana.
Ravi Thakur, former Congress MLA from Lahaul Spiti, performed poorly in the electoral battle, finishing third. A Zila Parishad Chairman of Lahaul Spiti defeated former BJP MLA and Independent Candidate Ram Lal Markanda by a narrow margin.
The BJP succeeded in winning the Dharmshala by-election as former Congress MLA and BJP candidate Sudhir Sharma triumphed in a triangular battle.
Defections within the Congress government also led to a major disaster for the party, as the party cadre was allured by the BJP with various incentives, leading to success from the divided Congress.
Party cadre and elected members of the assembly, and even cabinet ministers, couldn’t help provide leads to Congress candidates amidst suspicions of defection and public confessions of defeat before the LS election by the HPCC chief.
Political pundits say that compared to previous election margins, the victory margin of BJP candidates came down not due to an effective election campaign by the party and government, but because the people, in general, didn’t want to repeat Narendra Modi.
The AICC chief, addressing a press conference here recently, stated that it is not Congress or any other political party that would ensure the victory of INDIA candidates, but the people in general. Given the resources and expenditure, Congress was no match to the BJP, whose campaign was well-funded due to ample resources. However, the Congress campaign faced a dearth of resources.
The electoral battle defeat of Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in the LS and two by-elections may further pose a political crisis as the BJP succeeded in creating defections. The state’s reliance on central assistance also poses another challenge before the state government.
Empower Independent Journalism – Join Us Today!
Dear Reader,
We’re committed to unbiased, in-depth journalism that uncovers truth and gives voice to the unheard. To sustain our mission, we need your help. Your contribution, no matter the size, fuels our research, reporting, and impact.
Stand with us in preserving independent journalism’s integrity and transparency. Support free press, diverse perspectives, and informed democracy.
Click [here] to join and be part of this vital endeavour.
Thank you for valuing independent journalism.
Warmly,
Vishal Sarin, Editor
