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the capacity to beat the saffron party’s non else but former Congress MLA and
candidate. The Congress hopes that former minister Sudhir Sharma, who
in this situation its candidate will win is considered to be a close associate of
by-election. former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.
Musafir held this seat seven times in Eight candidates are in the fray
a row from 1972 to 2007. He joined Con- for this seat. There was a possibility
gress after winning the first election as that the Congress would give ticket to
an independent candidate in 1972. It Sudhir Sharma or someone close to
will be interesting to see what the old him. But this did not happen. Now
thrust of Musafir is able to show again. Sudhir is sitting in a kind of ‘’Kopb-
The defeat could put a full stop on
Musafir’s political career. Even though
he is a strong Congress leader in the
area, after the third consecutive defeat,
the new people of the Congress will
stake claim in the area. If won, he will
not face any challenge in the party even
in the next election. Hence his reputa-
tion is at stake in this by-election.
BJP candidate Reena Kashyap has
nothing to lose. Whatever may happen
to her will become a situation of shame
for the government. Reena has also
been a member of Zilla Parishad once. havan’’. The Congress has fielded the
To ensure her victory the entire govern- young Vijayendra Karna, who is neph-
ment and organisation are throwing ew of former Congress minister Thakur
their fullest strength behind her. CM Singh Bharmouri.
Jairam Thakur himself is campaigning BJP has given ticket to Vishal Naihari.
in the field. For the first time after be- The seat fell vacant after the resignation
coming the chief minister Jai Ram is The government has of BJP’s Kishan Kapoor, who was elected
feeling challenge in any election. to the Lok Sabha in the May elections.
The by-election is also important for failed on every front. Kapoor was a minister in the Jairam
Independent Dayal Pyari. So far, she is The law and order government at that time. However, Kis-
on a high graph of politics. If she won, han Kapoor has been dominating this
she will become very strong. If defeated, situation is worst and seat for three decades. He has won five
she will stand in the same queue where the government is not assembly elections from here. How-
the other rebels of the BJP are stand- ever, in 2012, he lost to Sudhir Sharma,
ing. There are speculatiosn even at this paying attention to whose late father Sant Ram had been
moment that if she wins, she will go the promises made the president of the Pradesh Congress
with BJP again. By the way, the pos- and a minister in various Congress
sibility of her going with the Congress during the assembly governments.
cannot be ruled out. In such a situation, The Chokas Bhardwaj, who is asso-
she will be a strong contender for the elections. There is ciated with the film industry, has also
Congress ticket in the next assembly disappointment landed as an independent candidate.
elections. Punish Padha, son of late Congress
among the masses and legislator Mulraj Padha, Manohar Lal
Dharamshala Seat in these by-elections Dhiman, Rakesh Kumar Chowdhary of
It is very interesting that not only the Swabhiman Party are also in the fray as
BJP and Congress, but also the inde- people will teach independent candidates.
pendent candidates in Dharamshala a lesson to the bjp There is a lot discussion in the con-
are urging the public to vote, as much stituency about the possible role of
as they are trying to make an organi- government Navajivan Foundation “Rubru’’, a non
sation Navjivan Foundation (Rubru) in political organisation in this by-elec-
their favor. But even more interesting is — Kuldeep rathod, tion. Talking about Rubaru, three years
that the man behind this organisation is State President, congress ago, former Congress MLA Sudhir

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