The assembly by-elections for Dehra (Kangra), Hamirpur, and Nalagarh seats in Himachal Pradesh are set for July 10. Despite not having enough numbers to form the government, the opposition BJP is hopeful for significant gains in these by-polls. The BJP has previously attempted twice to topple Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu's government.
Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Jai Ram Thakur has expressed optimism, stating that the by-election results could "shake the politics" of the state. During a public gathering in Hamirpur, Thakur supported BJP candidate Ashish Sharma, asserting that a win in these by-polls would be impactful.
The BJP's attempts to gain control have previously failed. In the Rajya Sabha election, six Congress MLAs and three independent MLAs cross-voted for the BJP, leading to a tie. However, the Speaker disqualified the Congress MLAs, and later, the three independent MLAs resigned and joined the BJP, but their resignations were only accepted on June 3, 2024, just before the by-polls were announced. The BJP won two of the six assembly segments, while the Congress secured four, reaching the majority with 35 seats.
For Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, the stakes are high as he has fielded his wife, Kamlesh Thakur, in Dehra. Winning these by-polls would strengthen the Congress's position in the assembly. The BJP, currently with 27 MLAs, needs eight more to challenge the Congress government.
Despite being in the opposition, the BJP is confident following a clean sweep in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where it polled 56.44% of votes compared to Congress's 41.67%, winning all four parliamentary seats in Himachal.
The ruling Congress has criticized the three former independent MLAs, now BJP candidates, for resigning and causing the by-polls. Chief Minister Sukhu specifically targeted Hoshiar Singh, the BJP candidate contesting against his wife in Dehra, accusing him of betraying his constituents.
