Government not keen on Mandi, Fatehpur bypoll soon
Tribune News Service
Shimla, June 3
The possibility of the Mandi Lok Sabha and Fatehpur Assembly bypoll taking place in the immediate future seems bleak as the state government is of the opinion that the situation is not conducive.
The Election Commission of India has sought the opinion of Himachal Government on the issue of holding bypolls. The Mandi Lok Sabha seat had fallen vacant following the demise of sitting BJP MP Ram Swaroop and Fatehpur constituency in Kangra had fallen vacant after the death of Congress MLA Sujan Singh Pathania.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has himself stated that the situation was not very conducive for holding of bypolls considering the Covid situation. “Even though there has been an appreciable decline in the number of positive cases in the last one week fatalities have yet to come under control,” admitted a health official.
In case the bypolls are not held in the next two months they could well be held only in September after the monsoons are over.
Ram Swaroop, a two-time BJP MP, had passed away at his residence in Delhi on March 17 earlier this year. The BJP has been on the lookout for a contender but as of now, holding the bypolls are not on the priority list of the government.
The Fatehpur seat had fallen vacant on the demise of former minister and Congress MLA Sujan Singh Pathania on February 12, 2021. A seven-time MLA, Pathania (77) had been ailing for the past three years.
