Kaul Singh Thakur: The eight-time MLA, who has lost Darang just once in nine previous polls, anticipates an encore

BJP stares at rebellion after denying ticket to its sitting MLA

Kaul Singh Thakur with Congress senior leader Sonia Gandhi (Facebook/ Kaul Singh Thakur)

At the age of 76, veteran Congress leader Kaul Singh Thakur will again represent the Congress from Mandi’s Darang constituency. Between 1977 and 2022, the eight-time MLA has lost elections from Darang only twice, and will be looking to wrest the seat he lost in 2017.

Kaul Singh served as the chairman of Mandi Sadar Panchayat Samiti between 1973 and 1977, following which he was elected to the state legislative assembly for the first time. He remained Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board (with Cabinet rank), and had independent charges of health and parliamentary affairs. Between 1985-90, he was appointed the Vidhan Sabha speaker.

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Prior to becoming an active member of the Congress in 1979, Kaul Singh had joined the Congress for Democracy and then the Janata Party. He went on to become the HPCC president twice in a row, and held several important portfolios, including Health and Family Welfare, Irrigation and Public Health, Law and Justice, and Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs.

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Incidentally, despite the Congress’s stated One Family One Ticket Policy, Kaul Singh’s daughter, Champa Thakur, has been given the ticket from Mandi Sadar.

Kaul Singh will be facing Puran Singh Thakur, who has been fielded in place of sitting MLA Jawahar Singh Thakur. With the sitting MLA’s ticket being cancelled, BJP is likely to face rebellion in Darang.

The old horse is a trusted candidate in an election in which the Congress has prioritised giving tickets to those who have electoral experience. With BJP votes in the constituency likely to be split, Kaul Singh is hopeful of becoming an MLA for the ninth time.

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