Rohru: Old rivals back in poll arena

Bhanu P Lohumi

OLD rivals will clash in Rohru (SC) Assembly constituency in Shimla district, considered as pocket-borough of former Chief Minister and Congress leader Virbhadra Singh where the Congress has fielded the two-time sitting MLA, Mohan Lal Brakta, and the BJP has repeated its candidate Shashi Bala, who was defeated in 2017.

The BJP is facing a rebellion in the party while the Congress is depending on sympathy for Virbhadra Singh. The public feels that the MLA is a simple man but was not doing anything and just banking on Virbhadra’s name.

Rohru has been the stronghold of Virbhadra Singh ever since he took over as Chief Minister in 1983. Barring the byelection in 2009 held after he resigned on being elected to the Lok Sabha, the Congress won all elections from this seat.

It is not the candidate but the name of ‘Raja Sahib’ that matters in this constituency which was reserved for the Scheduled Caste after the delimitation in 2010, says a local Pooja.

The people in the heart of the apple belt are unhappy with the inept handling of apple growers’ agitation against heavy input cost and demand for 100 per cent import duty on apples being imported. The agitation fizzled out with no concrete result.

Development has become an issue in this constituency as the people feel that the constituency was neglected during the past one decade as compared to massive development witnessed during the Virbhadra Singh’s tenure from 1990 to 2007.