The victory or defeat of the three former independent MLAs contesting on BJP tickets in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly by-elections will not only determine their political future but also impact the prestige of senior Congress and BJP leaders associated with these seats. If Kamlesh Thakur wins in Dehra, the reputation of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu will be enhanced, and if they also win in Hamirpur and Nalagarh, it will double his stature. If the BJP wins the Hamirpur by-election, it will silence the critics of former Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
Additionally, the accountability of Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur, BJP state president Dr. Rajeev Bindal, Congress state president Pratibha Singh, and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri is also tied to these by-elections. Following a prolonged political struggle, the seats in Dehra, Hamirpur, and Nalagarh, vacated by the resignations of independents, will see by-elections, the results of which, regardless of the winner, do not currently pose a threat to the government. However, it will certainly provide both parties with another issue to pressure each other.
If the Congress wins all three seats, their strength will rise to 41. The BJP currently has 27 MLAs. Winning all three seats would bring their total to 30. The Chief Minister has had to be more active in all three constituencies, particularly in Dehra, where he had to devote more time as the high command eventually fielded his wife in the electoral battle. Anurag Thakur, who failed to secure a position in the Union Cabinet this time, has been given the special responsibility of ensuring the BJP candidate’s victory in the Hamirpur constituency of his district.
If the BJP wins this seat, Anurag can effectively respond to all critics questioning how the BJP candidate Rajendra Rana lost in Sujanpur, where Anurag Thakur traditionally garners the most lead. The Nalagarh constituency falls within the home parliamentary area of BJP state president Dr. Rajeev Bindal, assigning Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur a special responsibility here. Similarly, not only Chief Minister Sukhu but also Pratibha Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri will share the credit for Congress's victory in all three by-elections. If they fail, all three will be held accountable.
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