Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu: After weeks of political instability in Himachal Pradesh due to defections, the results of the recent by-elections have come as a relief for Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. The Congress party, led by Sukhu, won two of the three constituencies in the election held last month. The elections were crucial for Sukhu to consolidate his position against the rebellion of six party MLAs earlier this year. Among the CM’s major victories was his wife Kamlesh Thakur’s win in Dehra. Contesting the election as a novice political candidate, she defeated sitting MLA Hoshiar Singh by a comfortable margin of over 9,000 votes. Political analysts see Thakur’s win as a major endorsement of Sukhu’s leadership and a setback for defectors like Singh, who joined the BJP. Interestingly, of the three former independent MPs who resigned to trigger the by-elections, two who joined the opposition lost their seats. Only Ashish Sharma remained in contention for Hamirpur.
The results have helped Sukhu increase his government’s numbers. Though the Congress suffered a defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections, it has made a good comeback in the by-elections, gaining a strength of 40 seats in the 68-member assembly. This should give the Prime Minister more stability to carry out his development agenda without the disruptions of recent months. It remains to be seen whether this also marks a decline in political poaching attempts in the hill state. But for the time being, the election result has given Sukhu crucial political breathing room when he needed it most.
