Leaders from Pacchad ready for MLA race

Ambika Sharma 

Tribune News Service

Solan, May 24

With the post of MLA in the Pacchad Assembly segment of  Sirmaur district falling vacant after incumbent Suresh Kashyap’s win in the Lok Sabha elections, aspirants for the post are gearing up to get party ticket. 

Dyal Pyari, a former Zila Parishad chairperson, who has a sizeable standing in the masses  is the top contender. 

Although a section of party men are annoyed with her for having raked up the issue of being “publicly pushed” by a senior party leader during a poll rally at Sarahan, it remains to be seen whom the party chooses to represent the area. 

Other aspirants are also weighing their options and waiting for the right moment to stake their claim, though the elections are several months away.

Pacchad was initially a pocket borough of Congress’ Gangu Ram Musafir, who had won the elections seven times in a row from 1982 to 2007. 

The seat was wrested by the BJP for the first time in the  2012 Assembly elections with Suresh Kashyap  polling 50.86 per cent votes as against Musafir’s 45.62 per cent vote share. 

Kashyap won the seat second time in a row in the 2017 Assembly poll  and the BJP’s vote share has constantly risen over the years — from as low as 26.21 per cent in 1998 to  more than 50 per cent over the years. Kashyap, however,  secured a lead of merely 16,021 from this seat  in the Lok  Sabha poll, which was only   marginally higher than two  other  Assembly segments of Sirmaur district. 

However, Nahan and Paonta Sahib  gave him a much higher lead of 24,563 and 27,517 votes .

Kashyap’s victory could also pave the way for the erstwhile Congress stalwart, GR Musafir, to once again try his luck and win back this seat if he is granted ticket. 

Another chance for GR Musafir?

• Pacchad was initially a pocket borough of Congress’ Gangu Ram Musafir, who had won the elections seven times in a row from 1982 to 2007. 
• The seat was wrested by the BJP for the first time in the 2012 Assembly elections with Suresh Kashyap polling 50.86 per cent votes as against Musafir’s 45.62 per cent vote share.
• Kashyap won the seat second time in a row in the 2017 Assembly poll and the BJP’s vote share has constantly risen over the years — from as low as 26.21 per cent in 1998 to more than 50 per cent over the years. 
• Nahan and Paonta Sahib gave him a much higher lead of 24,563 and 27,517 votes than Pacchad.