In a landmark political shift, the Indian National Congress (INC) has shattered the three-decade dominance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Dehra Municipal Council elections, securing a crucial breakthrough in one of Kangra district’s most strategically significant regions. The Congress clinched five of the seven wards, restricting the BJP to just two, reversing a trend that had seen the saffron party sweep all seats in the previous civic polls.
This victory carries added political weight for local MLA Kamlesh Thakur, wife of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who had invested considerable personal effort in accelerating developmental works worth crores in the constituency. With results declared, intense lobbying has begun for the post of Municipal Council President—an office now revitalised by the Congress resurgence.
Dehra, elevated from a Nagar Panchayat to a Municipal Council in 2013, has long been viewed as an impregnable BJP bastion. The latest mandate, however, signals a decisive shift in voter sentiment.
The municipal elections in Dehra witnessed an enthusiastic public response, with a record voter turnout of 74.55 percent. Out of 3,573 registered voters, 2,664 cast their votes. Female participation remained particularly impressive, as 75.32 percent of women voters turned out for polling, surpassing the male turnout of 74.08 percent. The entire election process remained peaceful and orderly due to extensive security arrangements and continuous police patrolling across all seven wards.
The election results highlighted significant victories across the wards. In Ward No. 1, Nishtha Chambiyal secured victory with a lead of 294 votes. Ward Ward No. saw BJP-backed candidate Malkiyat Singh Parmar win by 175 votes, while Naresh Kumar emerged victorious in Ward No. 3 with a margin of 251 votes. In Ward No. 4, Upasana Sood registered a winning lead of 172 votes, and Kiran Devi claimed victory in Ward No. 5 by 156 votes.
Meanwhile, BJP-backed Paras won Ward No. 6 with a lead of 130 votes, and Kiran Sharma secured Ward No. 7 with a margin of 189 votes. The results reflected strong public participation and a keen interest in local governance among the residents of Dehra.
The resounding victory of Congress candidates has significantly reshaped Dehra’s political landscape. The outcome is being viewed as the beginning of a new phase of leadership in the region, with expectations of accelerated development and renewed political momentum in the coming years.
