Lakhvinder Singh Rana
Member of the
Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly
In office
2017–2022
Preceded byKrishan Lal Thakur
Succeeded byKrishan Lal Thakur
ConstituencyNalagarh
In office
2011–2012
Preceded byHari Naraian Singh
Succeeded byKrishan Lal Thakur
ConstituencyNalagarh
Personal details
Born (1968-06-13) 13 June 1968
Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh, India
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party (until 2005, 2022–present)
Other political
affiliations		Indian National Congress (2005–2022)
SpouseSunita Rana
Children2
Alma materHimachal Pradesh University (BA)

Lakhvinder Singh Rana (born 13 June 1968) is an Indian businessman and politician who has served in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly for two non-consecutive terms, representing the Nalagarh Assembly constituency from 2011 to 2012 and since 2017. Originally elected as a member of the Indian National Congress, Rana defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party in August 2022.

Early life and career

Rana was born on 13 June 1968 in the village of Joghon, Nalagarh in Himachal Pradesh. Rana attended the Govt. Degree College Nalagarh and Himachal Pradesh University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1988. In 1992, Rana became the director of the Himachal Pradesh Cooperative and Rural Development Bank, serving until 1997. The following year, he became a board member of the Himachal Pradesh Small Saving Bank, holding that position until 2003.[1][2]

Political career

Rana's political career began in 1990, when he began serving in his local panchayat samiti as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, later also serving in the Solan district's Zila Parishad. From 1996 to 1997, Rana was a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, a right-wing student organisation. In 1997, Rana became the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, serving until 1998, when he became the president of the Nalagarh BJP. From 2000 until 2003, Rana was the BJP district president in the Solan district.[1]

In 2005, Rana left the BJP and switched his party affiliation to the Indian National Congress.[1] In the 2007 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, Rana stood as a candidate for the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, running as the INC nominee for the Nalagarh Assembly constituency, which was a BJP stronghold. Rana was defeated by BJP incumbent Hari Naraian Singh, receiving 25,108 votes compared to Singh's 28,929.[3] In 2008, he served as the INC spokesman for the Solan district, and from 2008 until 2022, he served as a member of the Himachal Congress Executive Committee.[1] He also served as the vice president of the state party.[4]

Tenure in the legislative assembly

Following Singh's death in office in 2011, Rana stood as a candidate in the by-election to replace him. Rana narrowly defeated Gurnam Kaur of the BJP, receiving 28,799 votes compared to Kaur's 27,200.[5][6] The following year, Rana ran for a full term in the 2012 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election; however, he was defeated by BJP nominee Krishan Lal Thakur, receiving 26,033 votes compared to Thakur's 35,341. In the 2017 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, Rana narrowly defeated Thakur in a rematch, receiving 25,872 votes compared to Thakur's 24,630.[3]

During his tenure in the legislative assembly, Rana has advocated for the improvement of infrastructure in Nalagarh, which is an industrial hub. Rana has supported the re-opening an old colonial-era railway line that connects to Nalagarh from the town of Ghanauli in Punjab, and has claimed that the state has not sufficiently incentivized industrialists to operate in the area.[7][8]

On 17 August 2022, Rana and Pawan Kumar Kajal, the working president of the state party, both defected and joined the BJP.[9] The following day, the pair were officially expelled from the INC and were barred from re-joining for six years.[10] The defection of the two senior Congress officials was deemed to be a major blow to the party just a few months prior to the 2022 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election.[11]

Electoral performance

2007 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election : Nalagarh
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BJP Hari Naraian Singh 28,929 50.84% Increase8.61
INC Lakhvinder Singh Rana 25,108 44.12% Increase7.59
BSP Vinod Thakur 1,233 2.17% New
SP Gurnam Singh 1,024 1.80% New
LJP Chaudhary Gurbakhsh Singh 565 0.99% New
Margin of victory 3,821 6.71% Increase1.03
Turnout 56,905 83.18% Decrease2.71
Registered electors 68,414 Increase8.38
BJP hold Swing Increase8.61
2011 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly by-election : Nalagarh
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
INC Lakhvinder Singh Rana 28,799 51.43% Increase7.31
BJP Gurnam Kaur 27,200 48.57% Decrease2.27
Margin of victory 1,599 2.86% Decrease3.86
Turnout 55,999 82.62% Decrease0.56
Registered electors 67,780 Decrease0.93
INC gain from BJP Swing
2012 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election : Nalagarh
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BJP Krishan Lal Thakur 35,341 55.60% Increase7.03
INC Lakhvinder Singh Rana 26,033 40.96% Decrease10.47
BSP Anant Ram 610 0.96% New
SP Gurnam Singh 597 0.94% New
HLC Pola Ram Dhang Wala 537 0.84% New
LJP Gurbax Singh Chauhan 380 0.60% New
Margin of victory 9,308 14.64% Increase11.79
Turnout 63,563 85.59% Increase2.97
Registered electors 74,262 Increase9.56
BJP gain from INC Swing Increase4.17
2017 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election : Nalagarh[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
INC Lakhvinder Singh Rana 25,872 36.30% Decrease4.66
BJP Krishan Lal Thakur 24,630 34.55% Decrease21.05
Independent Hardeep Singh Bawa 13,095 18.37% New
Independent Harpreet Singh Saini 5,443 7.64% New
NOTA None of the Above 678 0.95% New
Independent Gurnam Singh 613 0.86% New
Margin of victory 1,242 1.74% Decrease12.90
Turnout 71,281 86.19% Increase0.60
Registered electors 82,701 Increase11.36
INC gain from BJP Swing Decrease19.30
2022 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election : Nalagarh
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Krishan Lal Thakur 33,427 44.51% New
INC Hardeep Singh Bawa 20,163 26.85% Decrease9.45
BJP Lakhvinder Singh Rana 17,273 23.00% Decrease11.55
Rashtriya Devbhumi Party Jagdish Chand 1,146 1.53% New
AAP Dharam Pal 1,108 1.48% New
NOTA Nota 590 0.79% Decrease0.17
BSP Paras Bains 555 0.74% New
Independent Jagpal Singh Rana 534 0.71% New
Margin of victory 13,264 17.66% Increase15.92
Turnout 75,101 81.67% Decrease4.52
Registered electors 91,955 Increase11.19
Independent gain from INC Swing Increase8.21

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Sh. Lakhvinder Singh Rana". Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  2. ↑ Madhuri (7 November 2017). "Congress candidate from Nalagarh assembly seat in Himachal: Lakhvinder Singh Rana". OneIndia. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Nalagarh (Himachal Pradesh) Assembly Constituency Elections". elections.in. 28 March 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  4. ↑ "Himachal Congress working president Pawan Kumar Kajal joins BJP". Punjab News Express. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  5. ↑ "BJP wins Renuka assembly seat, Congress from Nalagarh". DNA India. 4 December 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  6. ↑ "BJP wins Renuka, Congress from Nalagarh seat". India Today. 4 December 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  7. ↑ "Himachal minister warns of looming water crisis, says sources drying up". The Indian Express. 19 March 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  8. ↑ "In rural Himachal Pradesh, 32% shortage of doctors, claims Theog MLA". The Indian Express. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  9. ↑ "Ahead of Assembly Elections, Congress MLAs Pawan Kajal, Lakhvinder Singh Rana join BJP". Times Now. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  10. ↑ "Congress Expels MLAs Pawan Kumar Kajal, Lakhvinder Rana From Party Membership for Six Years for 'Anti-Party' Activities After Both Join BJP". LatestLY. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  11. ↑ "Congress leaders Pawan Kajal, Lakhvinder Singh Rana join BJP". News9Live. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  12. ↑ Election Commission of India. "Himachal Pradesh General Legislative Election 2017". Retrieved 8 July 2021.
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