Shimla: Holding the win in Nalagarh and losing Renuka as a half victory, Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur said that it was because of overconfidence that the party lost the traditional Congress seat of Renuka in the bye poll.
On the other hand chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal let Hill Post know on Sunday that the sympathy factor was overplayed in Nalagarh that cost the party dear
Talking to reporters here today Kaul Singh said, “over confidence cost us dear in Renuka, while the party concentrated upon wresting Nalagarh from the opposition.â€
The ruling party attempts to influence Nalagarh voters with free flow of liquor and money did not cut ice but the outcome in Renuka bye elections was definitely impacted by it, he added.
The elections have also shown that voters are not prepared to tolerate family fiefdoms in constituencies and BJP by giving the tickets to the wife of the deceased MLA did not pay off, he added.
“We lost the seat despite union minister Virbhadra Singh campaigning for 6 days in the constituency, he added.
When questioned about Congress putting a poor candidate, he said that only one name right from the block to district level congress committee had recommended it. The party went along and gave the ticket to the son of the former legislator, said Kaul.
On the other hand chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal let Hill Post know that the sympathy factor was overplayed in Nalagarh, which cost the party dear.
About the win in Renuka, he said that it was for the first time BJP had won the seat.
He went onto add that congress has given three chief ministers to the state.
Whereas Virbhadra Singh as chief minister earlier had represented Jubbal-Kothkai and later shifted to Rohru assembly segment, Ram Lal Thakur as chief minister represented Jubbal-Kothkai and the first chief minister of Himachal Pradesh Dr YS Parmar represented Renuka seat, he said.
“It was a matter of great pride for BJP that all these three seats were today being held by the party and Renuka happens to be the last Congress bastion to fall,” said Dhumal.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
The Nalagarh seat and the Renuka seat verdict has proved one thing the electorate has risen from the slumber and a moder pattern of voting has come into the foray.Moreover credentials of candiadates like their educational background , political as well as administartive experience was a significant factor in deciding the voting behaviour.
We all welcome the move wherein people are voting for candiadtes with a clean image, reasonable political experience and the capability to deliver as the factor.
I hail the Himachali electorate who i feel is steadily coming of age by just voting for a certain political affiliation.