Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s wife, Kamlesh Thakur, kicked off her campaign for the July 10 Assembly by poll in Dehra amid significant internal strife within the Congress party. The conflict arose when state Congress president Pratibha Singh recommended party treasurer Dr. Rajesh Sharma for the ticket, only for the high command to ultimately back Thakur. This decision led to a public outburst from Sharma, who accused Sukhu of mental harassment during a meeting in Dehra, even suggesting that the CM would be responsible if any harm befell his family. Following this emotional episode, Sharma was hospitalized after suffering a panic attack.
Despite Sukhu’s initial reluctance to support his wife’s candidacy, Thakur, an active member of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee for around two decades, assured that she and Sharma would settle their differences. At her first election rally, she emphasized her commitment to Dehra’s development, leveraging her local roots to appeal to voters. “Every issue in the constituency will be resolved with the help of the CM,” Thakur stated, highlighting Dehra as her maternal home and stressing no daughter would want her maternal home to remain underdeveloped.
The Dehra seat became vacant after Independent MLA Hoshyar Singh Chambyal, who joined the BJP, resigned. Chambyal, now the BJP’s candidate, accused Congress of neglecting local interests by choosing Thakur over a local woman. BJP leaders reached out to Sharma, capitalizing on the rift within Congress to bolster their campaign narrative. Congress insiders revealed Sharma’s initial frontrunner status due to Pratibha Singh’s strong recommendation. However, the high command’s decision to back Thakur was strategic, considering her local ties and potential to reclaim the seat for Congress. Despite the controversy, party leaders remain optimistic about Thakur’s chances, emphasizing her deep connection to Dehra and long-standing party involvement.
