Congess leaders play the blame game at the bypoll in Dharamsala

As the Dharamsala bypoll campaign heats up, the BJP’s Sudhir Sharma is assuming more and more of the genuine concerns, with the Congress renegade and ticket contenders engaging in a blame game and mudslinging.

The Congress ticket contenders from Dharamsala are accusing Sudhir Sharma of betraying the party, even going so far as to label him a “traitor.” To increase their prospects of receiving a party ticket, Congress candidates are competing with one another to target Sudhir Sharma. On the other hand, Sudhir Sharma has been criticizing Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu, accusing him of pressuring Congress MLAs to defect from the party because of his “dictatorial” measures.

The genuine problems facing the Dharamsala Assembly constituency, however, have been overshadowed by this blame game. Falling tourism was the Dharamsala area’s main problem. Since the Corona virus epidemic, Dharamsala’s tourist industry has not recovered. The hotel owners claim that there are not enough international visitors. During the off-season, the hotel occupancy rate in the area dropped to 10 to 20 percent. About 70% of hoteliers in McLeodganj have begun to lease their properties as a result of the low level of tourists.

In addition, a shortage of parking spaces and inadequate infrastructure have damaged the area’s reputation. Tourists are avoiding the region because of the regular traffic congestion on the way to McLeodganj during peak season. However, none of the major figures in the area have yet to discuss a plan to revive the tourist sector, which supports the livelihoods of a sizable portion of the populace.

Another major issue is the sinking roads that link Mcleodganj and Dharamsala. Despite a tender for Rs 42 crore being granted by the national roads department to enlarge and improve the Dharamsala-McLeodganj route, the road’s state is still poor. Many sections of the road continue to sink. The Union administration has received a plan for handling the road’s sinking sections.

There is no strategy in place to solve the issue of the alternate route, the Khara Danda road, which connects Dharamsala with McLeodganj, sinking in many spots. Neither the governing party nor the opposition have addressed the matter to yet.

The BJP and its candidate, Sudhir Sharma, have made a significant effort to raise the subject of the Central University Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) north campus, which was scheduled to arise in the Jadrangal region of the Dharamsala Assembly seat. Congress politicians who are vying for Dharamsala party tickets are compelled to support the administration on this matter.

The lack of drinking and irrigation water in the area had not been discussed by any of the local officials. No local politician has addressed the problem of villagers living on common property that has been designated as forest area, causing people to trespass.

The matters that are not brought up

The main problem was Dharamsala’s diminishing tourism. The region has not seen a rebound in tourism since the corona virus epidemic. About 70% of hoteliers in McLeodganj have begun to lease their properties as a result of the low level of tourist.

In addition, a shortage of parking spaces and inadequate infrastructure have damaged the area’s reputation. Peak-season traffic bottlenecks on the route to McLeodganj have become the norm.
The Khara Danda road, an alternate route that connected Dharamsala with the well-liked tourist destination of McLeodganj, was also subsiding in several areas.
Neither the governing party nor the opposition has addressed the matter to this far.
The lack of drinking and irrigation water in the area has not been discussed by any of the local officials.