Caste a major factor in Kangra
Ravinder Sood
PALAMPUR, April 3
With the elections due next month, political parties have started their campaign vigorously. The BJP is ahead of the Congress which has completed its first phase of election campaign. Its candidate Kishan Kapoor has completed the tour of Chamba and Kangra.
If one goes through the political history of Kangra, it is evident that caste politics plays a dominant role here. Caste remains the deciding factor, therefore, all political parties keep it in mind while selecting their candidates.
The BJP has given its ticket to Kapoor, famous tribal Gaddi leader. On the other hand, the Congress has fielded Pawan Kajal, MLA from Kangra and from the Chaudhry OBC community.
OBCs and Rajputs have the maximum number of votes followed by Dalits and Brahmins in Kangra district. They constitute more than 50 per cent of the total electorate.
While the Assembly segments of Nagrota Bagwan, Kangra, Jwalamukhi, Guler, Sulaha , Palampur and Jwali have a sizeable OBC population. Gaddi voters are concentrated in Dharamsala, Shahpur, Baijnath , Palampur and parts of Chamba district.
Though leaders of both parties claim that there is no discrimination against the newly merged areas, still they exploit the sentiments of voters during elections by raising this issue.
It matters the most
- Caste remains the deciding factor, therefore, all political parties keep it in mind while selecting their candidates
- The BJP has given its ticket to Kishan Kapoor, famous tribal Gaddi leader
- On the other hand, the Congress has fielded Pawan Kajal from the Chaudhry OBC community.
- OBCs and Rajputs have the maximum number of votes
