Theog was held for eight terms by Singha’s aunt, Vidya Stokes, whose application was rejected by the Election Commission for not completing formalities and because the Congress had two candidates
In the run-up to the Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh, both the BJP and the Congress geared up for a tight wrestle. Helicopters were whizzing past the skies above, and hoardings at every bend invited the people of the state to cast their votes either for the lotus or for the hand.
In the middle of it all, every day, trudging along the roads would be an old Maruti 800, fitted with a loudspeaker atop, urging voters to cast their votes for the Communist Party of India (Marxist) instead. On Monday, as the results came out, the party made a comeback of sorts by winning Theog after a gap of 24 years by a margin of nearly 2000 votes.
Theog was held for eight terms by Singha’s aunt, Vidya Stokes, whose application was rejected by the Election Commission for not completing formalities and because the Congress had two candidates, and in her place the Congress put forward Deepak Rahour, known to be close to Rahul Gandhi. The BJP’s candidate, veteran Rakesh Verma, lost only by 1983 votes.
Around town, in Theog and in nearby Shimla, the CPI (M)’s Rakesh Singha is fondly known as ‘Comrade’. As part of the state’s CITU unit, Singha has stood for injustices of the society’s vulnerable -- issues of taxi unions, labour wage issues and the upliftment of Dalits in a state where untouchability is high.
When news of the gruesome gangrape of a minor girl in Kotkhai spred, it was Singha and his supporters who demonstrated for over a week in Theog. Neelam Sarek of the BJP, who was part of the protestors that
demanded a CBI probe into the case said that he stirred the issue to ensure it gained momentum.
“He was one of the first people to have reached the girl’s house and he mobilised the initial support,” says Sarek. Locals in Theog and neighbouring Kotkhai say that the case had helped in the win.
After workers at the Wangtoo Karcham hydroelectric project in Kinnaur faced issues with wages, he stood for them and was even attacked for that. Sanjeev Thakur of Mountain Taxi Drivers says that any time the taxi unions needed him, Singha was at the forefront.
For Singha, the electoral issues are all based on liberal policy. “In Himachal Pradesh, public investment in services like education, electricity, etc. is fairly high. Apart from that, in large parts of the state, Dalits have been facing discrimination, which was what we focussed on,” he says, adding that he intends to stick to these issues even after he wins.
Singha, who is likely to be part of a protest on the Kotkhai rape in Shimla’s Ridge on Tuesday, says that during protests for the case, he got a chance to speak about larger issues women face. “We will go back to the people and see how we can mobilise them to pressurise the various organs of the state to ensure justice for her,” says Singh.
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