Cong iffy in Bharmour, Churah happy with BJP

Lalit Mohan

Bharmour
TS Bharmouri vs Jiya Lal
Despite having enjoyed unbridled power in the last five years as Forest Minister in the Virbhadra regime, Thakur Singh Bharmouri, who represents the Bharmour tribal constituency, could face anti-incumbency and charge of nepotism.

Seventy-year-old Bharmouri had been on the target of the Opposition that blamed him for various scams in the Forest Department. Despite the fact that Bharmouri had enjoyed absolute power, poor condition of roads, poor connectivity of rural areas and lack of health facilities continued to plague his constituency, causing resentment among voters.

A former joint director of the Public Relations Department, Bharmouri is a staunch Virbhadra loyalist and had a complete say in the government. However, with the Forest Department remaining in one controversy or the other, Bharmouri's performance remained questionable.

The BJP has fielded Jiya Lal who lost the last election to Bharmouri. Again it will be a fight between the old rivals. However, Jiya Lal is facing opposition from Tulsi Ram, former BJP MLA and former Speaker of the Himachal Assembly who was denied the ticket in the 2012 polls. 

A young neurosurgeon from Bharmour Dr Janak Pakhrotia, who had quit his government job, too has been active in the field. He has been campaigning in the hope of getting the BJP ticket but now it remains to be seen who he works in favour of. The Congress could gain from the BJP infighting if the party fails to put up a united fight.

Though people are afraid of speaking out for fear of being identified, many of them said these were only a few select people considered close to the minister who had benefited under the current regime. The fact that a handful of contractors and Gram Panchayat Pradhans, close to Bharmouri, got work and grants is another sore point among the Congress workers and voters.

The people said if there was a straight fight in this constituency, the BJP is likely to have an edge. However, if the BJP fails to pacify its rebels, it could be any body's game in Bharmour. Mohlu Ram of Dharwala village said the condition of the road was pitiable. Surjeet, another villager, said non-tribal areas of Bharmour had been ignored in terms of development. 

Churah
Hans Raj vs Surinder Bhardwaj

The Churah constituency is reserved for SC candidates and is currently represented by Hans Raj, a young BJP leader. He will take on former MLA Surinder Bhardwaj,  Congress candidate. It will be a fight between the two old rivals this time. It is rural and the most remote constituency of Chamba district. Most residents are either engaged in farming or animal rearing. The constituency also has a floating population of about 15,000 Gujjars. Despite being in opposition, Hans Raj seems to be popular in the constituency that is dominated by Gaddi tribals and Gujjar voters.

Rattan Chand of Tissa praised the local MLA and said he was always available to the people. He attends the social functions and behaved like a commoner.

The recent communal riots in Tissa were still fresh in the minds of people. The riots led to the polarisation of people along religious lines which seem to be still persisting.