In a significant political development, Kamlesh Thakur, the Congress candidate and wife of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has won the by-election for Himachal Pradesh’s Dehra assembly seat. Thakur emerged victorious by a margin of 9,399 votes, defeating her closest rival, BJP candidate Hoshyaar Singh.
Thakur garnered a total of 32,737 votes, while Hoshiyaar Singh received 23,338 votes. Independent candidate Arun Ankesh Syal secured 67 votes, advocate Sanjay Sharma got 43, and Sulekha Chaudhary received 171. Additionally, 150 voters opted for the NOTA (None of the Above) option. A total of 56,506 votes were cast, including 1,098 postal ballots. Thakur’s share of the vote stood at 57.94%.
This victory marks the first time in over six and a half years that the Congress has an MLA in the Dehra assembly constituency. Kamlesh Thakur’s win is particularly notable as it breaks the pattern of independent and BJP victories in the region. In the 2017 and 2022 assembly elections, Hoshiyaar Singh won from Dehra as an independent candidate. This time, however, he contested on a BJP ticket. Former minister Ravindra Singh Ravi represented Dehra from 2012 to 2017.
The Dehra constituency itself was established in 2012, replacing the former Jaswan-Paragpur assembly constituency. Until now, no Congress candidate had been elected from Dehra. Kamlesh Thakur’s victory not only secures a legislative seat for the Congress but also signifies a potential shift in the political landscape of the region.
With this win, Kamlesh Thakur and the Congress party celebrate a hard-fought triumph that could have lasting implications for future elections in Himachal Pradesh.
