The upcoming bypolls for the Dehra Assembly seat could prove to be an uphill task for BJP's candidate Hoshiyar Singh. Singh, who has won the seat twice as an independent, joined the ruling BJP recently. However, his decision seems to have invited ire from within the party and residents of Dehra.
Singh is currently abroad but his campaign team has hit the ground running. Nevertheless, voices of dissent have emerged against Singh being given the ticket. Some local BJP leaders are opposing this choice citing he resigned from the assembly for personal gains.
Anti-incumbency is also noticeable in Dehra after Singh resigned from the assembly to join BJP. Residents feel betrayed by this move. Singh had capitalized on the anti-outsider sentiment in previous elections by pitching himself as a local leader against candidates of BJP and Congress who belonged outside the region.
While Singh enjoys strong private support having represented Dehra for a decade, factors like resentment over joining BJP and a direct face-off with Congress could dampen his prospects. The main opposition has fielded Rajesh Sharma who finished second in 2022 securing around 19k votes.
All odds are against two-time MLA Singh this time. How he deals with dissent in his party and changing voter preferences will determine if he can successfully defend the Dehra seat in the tests ahead. The bypoll is expected to be a tough fought battle between the local BJP leader and rising Congress candidate.
