Joginder Nagar: Dhumal loyalist turf handed over to defector

Shimla: Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal’s loyalist and close relatives Gulab Singh Thakur’s home turf Joginder Nagar was handed over by the party to defector Prakash Rana who defeated Thakur in 2017 Election.
Joginder Nagar Assembly, the turf and bastion of BJP Octogenarian leader Gulab Singh is going into a triangular contest as the party handed over its ticket to party defector Prakash Rana who defeated Singh in 2017. sitting MLA Rana, a diamond merchant from Dubai and owner of many other businesses, plunged into an electoral battle on the basis of his wealth in 2017.
Recently he joined the BJP. Gulab Singh, who remained a speaker in Himachal Pradesh Vidhan also became Public Works and Revenue Minister in 2007, was not in the fray this time. Thakur was elected MLA on the Janta Party ticket in 1977, Independent in 1980 and MLA of Congress in 1990, 1993 and 1998. He is the father-in-law of Union Minister Anurag Thakur and a Dhumal loyalist was denied a ticket in this election.
On the other hand, Congress has trusted Thakur Surender Pal who lost in 2017. Zila Parishad Member and CPI(M) leader Kushal Bhardwaj is also in the fray along with five other candidates. A BJP rebel Sanjeev is also in the fray from Joginder Nagar. This Assembly Constituency is also known for the oldest power project which was built by the British, is now under the reign of the Punjab Government is more than 100 years old. The famous valley of Barot, also known for trout breeding farms, is paradise for fish eaters and anglers. The foothills of Joginder Nagar are sandwiched between Kangra and Mandi districts linked with the 100 yrs. old Pathankot- Joginder Nagar small gauge rail route. The employees of this region feel that the Old Pension Scheme (OPS)  is important to them and that the party which promises the restoration would be their first priority. The residents said it would be a triangular battle despite eight candidates in the fray. The sitting BJP MLA made a charismatic entry in 2017 but did not prove up to the mark. A senior citizen said that the promises made by Rana to provide international jobs to locals did not yield any results. Moreover, his joining the saffron brigade did not get well with the natives of the area, and also informed the electors. A businessman who is annoyed with the present dispensation said that no political party should be allowed to stay in power for more than five years and they must be changed. The retired Public Works Department said that OPS should be there as employees must get some social security after they serve their whole in the state service. He said that the left candidate Khushal Bhardwaj is a formidable social worker. He may not garner winnable votes as the party which he represents but will spoil the ruling party game.

The assembly constituency has a total electorate of 91774 votes. (UNI)