Kaul turf faces division, Jogindernagar locals’ ire

Dipender Manta

Darang

The Congress stronghold — Darang — represented by Health and Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur faces the threat of being undercut with the District Congress Committee chief, Puran Chand Thakur, adamant to contest the elections this time.

Kaul Singh Thakur won his first election in 1977 on the Janata Paty ticket from newly formed Darang, but crossed over to the Congress and fought the 1982 elections on the party ticket. He has had a continuous stint as an MLA since 1977, except on one occasion in 1990 when Dina Nath Shastri of the BJP trounced him. However, since 1993, he has had five successive terms in the Assembly. 

Despite considerable development works done by the Health Minister in this segment, unemployment remains a major issue. The slow pace of work and the fact that many locals have not got a jobs in the rock salt mines has irked voters. Dhani Ram, a resident, said: "We were waiting for the work at the mines to start, thinking it would generate employment, but nothing of the sort happened." 

He lamented that no efforts had been made to promote tourism in areas like Prashar, Barot and Chohar Valley, which could have created jobs. 

Chohar Valley is a backward area in Mandi district, where many villages still lack road connectivity. Both the Congress and the BJP had promised that if voted to power, the area would be granted an ST status, but the poll promise remained unfulfilled. 

The people have been demanding widening of the Mandi-Jogindernagar road via Padhar for long, but the state government has failed to do the needful. 

Krishan Chand Negi said due to the poor road condition, commuters faced a lot of inconvenience, especially those residing in the Kotrupi area, which had faced massive landslides, adding that residents were yet to be rehabilitated. 

The BJP has once again fielded Jawahar Thakur, who is also the Mandi district president. 

JOGINDERNAGAR

Lack of development and anti-incumbency could mar the chances of the BJP candidate and sitting MLA, Gulab Singh Thakur, in Jogindernagar. He has represented the segment seven times. 

Residents rued that the MLA had failed to ensure development and many projects had been hanging fire. Jogindernagar had been the stronghold of the Congress till 2007 (before Gulab Singh joined the BJP in 1998). He has been winning the elections since 1977, except two times in 1985 and 2003. 

Congress nominee from the segment is Jiwan Thakur. Sources said the BJP candidate's chances  depended on the support extended by local leaders as he faced a challenge from BJP youth leader Pankaj Jamwal. 

The residents said there were no basic amenities like potable water and health services. Road connectivity was also poor, they added. Rajinder Kumar of Jogindernagar said the Civil Hospital referred patients to Palampur or Tanda medical college for treatment. 

"The town was declared the Wi-Fi city, still it lacks even the basic facilities. There was a broad gauge rail link proposal between Pathankot and Leh Ladakh via Jogindernagar, for which a survey was conducted. The condition of village roads is pathetic," he added.

The residents have been demanding an HRTC bus depot in Jogindernagar since 2003, but to no avail. Residents of Ladbhadol wants a sub-division office in the area. The haulage trolley in Jogindernagar, which is India's highest funicular railway track that takes rides up to 2,500 m, is also not functioning. Not much has been done to develop Jhatingri as a tourist place.

What they said

We were waiting for the work at the rock salt mines to start, thinking it would generate employment, but nothing of the sort happened. No efforts have been made to promote tourism in Prashar, Barot and Chohar Valley. — Dhani Ram, a Darang resident

There are no basic amenities like potable water and health services. Road connectivity is also poor. The Civil Hospital refers patients to Palampur or Tanda medical college for treatment. — Rajinder Kumar, a Jogindernagar resident