ELECTION | Monday, April 27, 2009 | Email | Print | 
Bahu turns beti to get Jodhpur votes
PC Lohumi | Shimla
Having lost a series of Assembly and Lok Sabha elections from Himachal Pradesh since 1989, Chandresh Kumari – the daughter-in-law of former royal family of Lambagaon in Kangra — is now trying her chances from Jodhpur, her native place.
Kumari is daughter of former king of Jodhpur, Hanwant Singh, and is contesting on the Congress ticket.
A former Himachal Minister, Kumari had won the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh thrice from three different constituencies — Bamsan, Thural and Dharamsala. She went to the Lok Sabha in 1984 and Rajya Sabha in 1996. However, she lost the Lok Sabha elections in 1989 and 1991, and the Assembly elections in 1993 and 2007. Even her husband and son contested the Assembly election once but could not manage to post a win.
She was dropped from the VB Singh Cabinet in 2005 and, later, lost the Assembly election in 2007.
Chandresh Kumari was also appointed president of the All India Mahila Congress and managed to get the party ticket from Jodhpur, 40 years after her marriage, only due to her proximity with Sonia Gandhi. Her mother Krishna Kumari had also won from Jodhpur and her brother Gaj Singh is a known BJP loyalist.
By fielding Chandresh Kumari from Jodhpur, the Congress has made a tactical move. The party is aware that its move is bound to change the political equations in the royal family as Kumari’s brother would not campaign against her now and Rajput votes in the region would also be consolidated.
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