Himachal assembly bypoll: Jubbal-Kotkhai may see battle between scions

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 30

The battle for supremacy in the Jubbal-Kotkhai Assembly constituency, going to the bypoll on October 30, is likely to be fought to protect the legacy of two stalwarts, former Chief Minister Ram Lal Thakur and former BJP minister Narinder Bragta.

Jubbal-Kotkhai has seen one of the most keenly and bitterly fought contests between two Chief Ministers —- Virbhadra Singh and Ram Lal Thakur —- in 1990. Six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had to bite the dust as he suffered defeat at the hands of Ram Lal Thakur who won as the Himachal Congress candidate after his exit from the Congress. The nine-time MLA later returned to the Congress.

As such, the electorate of Jubbal-Kotkhai, considered a Congress bastion, chose a former Chief Minister as their MLA over the sitting CM Virbhadra Singh. This is the only Assembly election besides one Lok Sabha election that Virbhadra lost in his entire political career spanning six decades.

Though both BJP and Congress are yet to finalise their candidates, as of now Jubbal-Kotkhai seems to be heading to be a fight for political supremacy between the families of Chief Minister Ram Lal Thakur and former BJP minister Narinder Bragta. The seat fell vacant due to the demise of Bragta. The BJP is hoping to cash in on the sympathy factor as the ruling party is likely to field Chetan Bragta, son of the former minister. In all probability, the Congress too is likely to field Rohit Thakur, grandson of Ram Lal Thakur. Rohit had lost the 2017 election to Bragta. Rohit has remained an MLA twice and was also Chief Parliamentary Secretary in the Congress regime headed by Virbhadra.

Out of the 13 elections held here, the Congress has won 10 times while the BJP twice, with Bragta being victorious on both occasions. In the 1990 Assembly polls, the seat was won by Ram Lal Thakur as the Himachal Congress candidate.

While the picture is fairly clear in the Congress as Rohit remains the frontrunner without any strong opposition, in the BJP there are murmurs of resentment at Bragta’s son Chetan being fielded.

The threat of undercutting looms large with many local BJP leaders opposing dynastic rule.

The fear of undercutting by the Virbhadra camp is also giving sleepless nights to Rohit’s supporters. With Virbhadra and Rohit’s father having remained archrivals, the antagonism between the two families still continues.