Divided Himachal House has a member they all like: ‘Bhabhi ji’

Kamlesh’s bypoll win from Dehra was the first time a Congress candidate bagged the Assembly seat. She defeated BJP candidate Hoshiyar Singh Chambyal, a two-time winner from the seat.

The first time the Assembly met after that was the Monsoon Session, a part of which Kamlesh missed due to a death in the family. In the four-day Winter Session that concluded on December 21, though, she was a regular.

The sittings of this Session saw almost every BJP MLA address Kamlesh as “Bhabhi ji”, even if the person they wanted to make their point to was the CM. The BJP leaders who did so included Leader of the Opposition and former CM Jai Ram Thakur, Bikram Thakur, Randhir Sharma, former Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar, Satpal Singh Satti, and Hans Raj.

Why were an “unusual” number of new institutions coming up in Kamlesh’s constituency Dehra, even as these were shutting down at other places, was the top question on BJP leaders’ mind. Their hint was at a camp office for the Chief Minister, a new exclusive office for the Superintendent of Police, and an office for those above the executive engineer rank, all of which have come up recently in Dehra.

And no, “no one blamed Bhabhi ji for it”.

Kamlesh could be seen listening to these arguments patiently, seated next to Congress Lahaul & Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana, without participating in the House proceedings in any other way. Born and brought up in village Chamnal in Dehra, and married to Sukhu since June 1988, her equanimity was foreseeable. While a debutante MLA, Kamlesh is no greenhorn to politics, having been a member of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee for almost two decades.

A glimpse of what was to come in the state Assembly after Kamlesh’s entry – it is the first time that the state has had a husband and wife as MLAs together – was evident in the Monsoon Session. The first day she attended the Session, August 27, there was much ribbing all around, with former BJP CM Jai Ram wondering why Sukhu had not followed the precedent of welcoming a new legislator to the House in case of his wife.

As everyone broke into laughter, Sukhu quipped that Jai Ram should not try scaring him using his wife’s name. With this setting off another round of giggles, Speaker Kuldeep Pathania could not contain himself, asking the CM if he was indeed afraid of his wife.

This Session, BJP MLA Bikram Thakur was the first to raise the issue of the “unprecedented development” in Dehra constituency. Agreeing, Jai Ram Thakur said: “If there’s one constituency that has witnessed growth in the last six months, it’s Dehra.” Addressing Sukhu, Jai Ram, the MLA from Seraj in Mandi, added: “We know this is your sasural (in-laws’ place), but think about other areas too.”

Hans Raj, the BJP MLA from Churaha, a backward area of Chamba district, joined in: “The CM talks about vyavastha parivartan (change in the system). But what are the parameters of this change? The institutions opened in our time have been shut, but new ones are being opened in Dehra. I am not against Bhabhi ji, but this seems unfair.”

Other BJP MLAs who felt their pleas to the CM fell on deaf ears invoked other family ties. Randhir Sharma, the MLA from Sri Naina Devi Ji, mentioned his wife’s connection to Sukhu’s seat Nadaun. Speaking about a pending water scheme in his area, he said: “CM sahib, kuch apni behan ka hi khayal kar leejiye (CM sir, at least show consideration for your sister).”

The CM countered the digs with “facts”. Addressing BJP MLA Reena Kashyap of Pachhad, he said: “All genuine demands of your area have been fulfilled, including new offices and officer appointments.” To Hans Raj, Sukhu said: “Your area in Chamba is tribal-dominated, and the government will prioritise it.”

As for his promise of “vyavastha parivartan”, Sukhu said: “The entire Himachal Pradesh is our home. There is no question of mayka (own parents’ home) or sasural (in-laws’ home).”