Anti-incumbency, factionalism in Jawali, Fatehpur

Rajiv Mahajan 

Jawali

Sitting Congress MLA Neeraj Bharti is facing anti-incumbency in Jawali, previously known as Guler, as he has not been accessible to  voters and seems disinterested in politics. As such there is speculation that his father Chander Kumar, a five-time MLA and one-time Lok Sabha MP might contest in place of his son. 

On the other hand, the BJP is facing factionalism and is divided into two groups. One group is led by Arjun Singh, president of the Nurpur district BJP unit who had fought the previous Assembly elections and lost to Bharti, and the other by Sanjay Guleria, a social activist, who had also contested the last elections as a  BJP rebel and lost, securing 19.08 per cent of total votes polled. Bharti's father Chander Kumar, who represented this constituency in 1982, 1985, 1993, 1998 and 2003, contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Kangra constituency in 2005. 

Former BJP MLA and ex-minister Harbans Singh Rana is supporting Sanjay Guleria, the contender for the party ticket this time. Arjun Thakur, the BJP candidate in 2012 Assembly election, is facing a challenge within the party as Guleria is making his presence felt in Nagrota Surian belt and some parts of Jawali areas. The BJP factionalism at the grass-roots level here can pose a threat to the party's official nominee in the elections. Jawali segment comprises three belts -- Jawali, Nagrota Surian and Kotla. The Congress enjoys dominance in Jawali and Nagrota Surian belts, but in Kotla it is on a weak-footing. This constituency has been nursed by former MP and Congress stalwart Chander Kumar for many years.  During the present regime, Jawali town was given the nagar panchayat status by incorporating a number of surrounding gram panchayats of the Jawali area but rural people are not happy with the merger of their areas in the nagar panchayat as this has imposed several restrictions on urban development.

Though a new sub-tehsil was opened at Kotla, the government failed to provide a building to run this office despite its sanction having been secured. Similarly, the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Jawali has been upgraded to a 50-bed Civil Hospital but no additional infrastructure was created. 

Rajinder Thakur, a retired engineer and a resident of Jawali, said the upgraded  hospital was an eyewash as no additional doctors had been posted. DK Sharma, an advocate from Nagrota Surian, feels that poor road connectivity is the bane of the area. Shiv Kumar Bhardwaj, a resident of Kotla, lamented that the bridge on the Dehar rivulet on the Pathankot- Mandi national highway could not be completed since 2008. 

FATEHPUR

Uncertainty over unwell Pathania

Uncertainty over the political future of the sitting MLA and Agriculture Minister Sujan Singh Pathania is keeping the rank and file of the Congress guessing in the Assembly segment of Fatehpur. Having suffered a brain stroke just a fortnight back, it is still not clear whether he would contest or chose a political heir. 

Though Pathania enjoys a clean image and believes in plain speak, he has not made his future plans open with his workers. There is a speculation that his son-in-law Ravi Thakur might succeed him, though he is not active in the area.  However, it is felt that with his son-in-law hailing from Hamirpur, there could be an outsider tag and opposition from the party cadres. His son is disinclined to join politics, it is learnt.  Chetan Chambiya, HPCC secretary, and Rita Guleria are being considered alternative choices for the Congress if Pathania's health doesn't permit him to contest and the party does not opt for his son-in-law or his daughter. 

Pathania has undertaken many development projects in the area, including the revenue sub-division at Fatehpur, a women polytechnic at Rehan and a government degree college at Rey. 

But the ambitious Shah Nehar irrigation project has been hanging fire for the past many years. Forty-five tubewells sanctioned during the previous BJP government and 12 by the present regime exist only on paper. Khatiyar, Polian and Sthana gram panchayats are still crying for potable water and electricity supply. Significantly, Rajan Sushant, a former MLA and ex-minister, who was the state convener of the Aam Aadmi Party, is trying to gain entry into the BJP and has even approached the party leadership. Sushant, whose wife Sudha Sushant had contested the 2012 Assembly elections as an Independent, is active but the suspense over his re-admission is a big question. 

Fatehpur BJP mandal is supporting Baldev Thakur whereas Jagdev Singh, a zila parshad member, is also a strong contender. However, the party could also field Kripal Parmar, a former Rajya Sabha MP.