Independents hold the key to top posts in Solan

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, January 23

Seventeen victorious Independent candidates hold the key to the election to the posts of Zila Parishad chairman and vice-chairman in Solan district. The ruling BJP failed to secure a majority as its candidates could win only seven seats while Congress-backed candidates could bag only three seats.

Four BJP rebels — Asha Parihar, Amar Singh Thakur, Rina Devi and Kamlesh Pawar — won against official nominees, as the party could not prevail upon them to withdraw from the contest. It was also observed that they had the tactic support of a section of the party leaders who were now jubilant at their victory.

BJP candidates who won are Hira Kaushal from Darla, Bhuvneshwari from Dhundan, Darpana Thakur from Dharampur, Ramesh Thakur from Darwa, Amar Chand from Barotiwala, Shanti Devi from Khera and Rahul Sharma from Bawasani.

The BJP lost the Kasauli-Garkhal seat which is the home turf of the local MLA and Health and Family Welfare Minister Rajiv Saizal. The seat was bagged by a BJP rebel, Rina Devi, who had contested the poll after being refused a ticket by the party. It remains to be seen whether the BJP rebels would support the party in electing the two top posts as the ruling party has much at stake in the district after losing two civic bodies.

The Congress, which held the outgoing zila parishad, could secure only three seats. Its wining candidates were Rajinder Singh from Saproon, Sarbjeet Kaur from Manjholi and Mukhtiyar Kaur from Kundlu ward.

Three wards — Domehar, Dhundan and Ratwari — lying in Arki, which is the home turf of former Chief Minister Virbhadhra Singh, have been lost by the Congress. These seats were held by the Congress in the outgoing term.

Interestingly, Hira Kaushal, who won from the Darla ward as a BJP candidate, was refused the ticket by the Congress. Another Congress candidate, Nirmala Devi, forfeited her security from Dhundan ward. She is the sitting zila parishad member and vice-president of the State Mahila Congress. Yet another Congress candidate, Neelam Raghuvanshi, who lost from Darla ward, is the secretary of the State Mahila Congress.

Weak organisational support and poor ticket distribution led to Congress’ dismal performance in the district opine political observers.

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