Ground Zero: Who has Emerged as Proactive Face in High-Stakes Dewat-Jhiknipul-Mashroan BDC Battle witnessing multi-cornered fight with 10 candidates in fray.
DEWAT/SHILIKAIN/JHIKNIPUL/SHANTHA: The political temperature has soared in the tri-panchayat belt of Dewat, Mashroan and Jhiknipul as campaigning for the Block Development Committee (BDC) election entered the final stretch ahead of polling on May 28 in Jhiknipul and Mashroan panchayats and May 30 in Dewat panchayat of Chopal subdivision in Shimla district.
Counting and results are expected by the evening of May 30 for BDC and ZilaParishad along with Pradhan and Up-Pradhan in Dewat panchayat.
The campaigning is going on in a cordial atmosphere with no incident of bitterness and violence so far.
But the voters are pleading candidates to keep their respect for each other intact and let there be a cordial contest because they depend not on politics but on one another support for common pursuits at the village level.
All candidates are invoking the blessings of Kulla Maharaj, the presiding deity of the area. The deothi of devta is being revamped by the Badhan- Chandaan Baridari, mainly concentrated in Dewat Panchayat.
On the hand Muslim community is also maintaining cordial relation with their religious co brothers and are seeking and lending support to each other.
The multi-cornered BDC contest has turned into a fascinating mix of clan loyalties, old political rivalries, caste equations, panchayat-level alignments and personal credibility and behavior.
In the middle of this complex chessboard, one name repeatedly echoes across villages and campaign gatherings — Rakesh Kumar Banchta of Shantha ward, who is increasingly being seen by many voters as a proactive and serious contender enjoying rapport across all three panchayats due to extensive family and social ties and his team of campaigners.
A total of ten candidates are in the fray. From Dewat panchayat are Rakesh Kumar Banchta, Sita Ram Bhagta, Surjit Thakur from Bijjar ward, PD Sharma from Bijjar, Nikhil Sharma from Bateori and Virender Azta alias Nakhu from Duina.
Mashroan panchayat has Virender Dhanta from Pabaas and Kameshwar “Cammy” from Shilikian ward, while Lokinder Sharma and Kuldip Jhagta are from Jhiknipul panchayat.
The largest voter base lies in Dewat panchayat with about 1,600 voters, making it the decisive battleground. Jhiknipul has around 800 voters while Mashroan has nearly 700 voters.
Political observers say the sheer number of contestants from Dewat has fragmented the vote bank there.
Veteran contestants like Bhagta, Nakhu and PD Sharma are being viewed by many villagers as "habitual candidates" who have repeatedly contested local elections but failed to make a political breakthrough.
Their repeated defeats in earlier Pradhan and Up-Pradhan elections have weakened their acceptability among voters looking for a stronger BDC face.
That has created space for newcomers like Rakesh Banchta, Thakur and Nikhil Sharma.
Among them, Rakesh is perceived to hold an advantage because of his larger traditional clan network of Banchaiks and his aggressive outreach campaign beyond Shantha, Kharu, Duina, Dewat into Mashroan and Jhiknipul.
Ground reports suggest that Rakesh’s campaign machinery has remained highly active in all three panchayats. Supporters claim his outreach in Mashroan and Jhiknipul has helped him build momentum beyond his home turf.
Local conversations in Mashroan indicate that many voters there are evaluating candidates not merely on panchayat loyalty but on who appears capable of actually winning the BDC seat.
The political equations in Mashroan are particularly volatile. Sitting Pradhan Birender Dhanta is battling for political survival as the Pradhan seat is now reserved for an SC candidate.
His rival Kameshwar “Cammy” and his supporters have openly declared their mission to politically decimate Dhanta in the panchayat.
The rivalry has divided local political workers and ward-level networks into competing camps supporting separate candidates for Pradhan, Up-Pradhan and ward member seats.
Insiders say these internal divisions in Mashroan may indirectly benefit Rakesh Banchta, who is seen as a relatively neutral and acceptable face by sections of rival groups.
Family relations of candidates like Jhagta and Bhagta in Shilikian could fetch them some scattered support, while Thakur from Bijjar is also banking on clan connections there in Bijjar area.
Jhiknipul too remains politically charged. Jhagta, originally associated with Bamta panchayat, is facing criticism from opponents who describe him as an outsider or “ghuspaithia” in Jhiknipul politics.
Voters unhappy with his earlier tenure as BDC vice-chairman accuse him of failing to deliver development works. Lokinder Sharma, a former Up-Pradhan, Jhiknipul is also facing anti-incumbency murmurs from sections of villagers who believe he did not live up to expectations.
In Dewat panchayat, the main electoral fight is believed to be among Banchta, Bhagta and Sharma. Nikhil and Lokinder, both drawing support from segments of the Brahmin community of Bateori and Baahal are seen denting each other’s prospects.
All have tried to woo Brahmin votes but Banchaiks have a deeper ties in both villages.
The Muslim voter pockets of Kothmal, Kumra and Bijjar villages are also expected to play a significant role as they hold a big chunk of voters They have fielded Up-Pradhan and ward members and depend on major vote banks from Shanttha, Duina and Kharu.
Equally crucial are the factional battles in Duina village between the "Naazar Sadoli-led group whose daughter- in-law Ranjita Kumari and the Azta-led “Guttu group”, whose wife, Rekha Azta, are locked in straight fight.
Both Nazar group and Guttu group are trying to enter in different alliances to tilt the balance in their respective favour.
Former Dewat Pradhan Rajinder Chauhan and the "Chauhan Bandhu" network are reportedly opposing the Guttu camp, further complicating the equations.
Local discussions indicate that alliances for BDC elections are deeply intertwined with calculations for Pradhan, Up-Pradhan and ward member posts.
Yet amid the shifting caste and clan equations, voters appear increasingly focused on identifying the candidate with the strongest winning potential as far as BDC is concerned.
If campaign intensity and cross-panchayat networking are taken as indicators, Rakesh Banchta currently appears to enjoy an edge in the tri-panchayat contest.
All the candidates are out to plead their sides of stories and trying to woo the voters by mutual alignments.
But candidates and their family members individual behavior and dealings will influence the results in all cases- Pradhan, Up-Pradhan, ward members, BDC and Zila Parishad members.
However, with multiple local rivalries and hidden alignments in play, the final verdict will only become clear once ballots are counted on May 30 evening.
