BJP, Congress slug it out as AAP aims to gain foothold in Himachal

Pratibha Chauhan

Advertisement

Shimla, October 16

Being a state where BJP and Congress have been the main political players, leaving little space for a third front, it remains to be seen if the AAP can manage to make it a triangular contest this time in its march to win over the hill state.

Past performance of third fronts

• 1972: Former Speaker Thakur Sen Negi floated the Lok Raj Party, which won two seats in the 1972 polls
• 1990: Rebel Congress leader Vijai Singh Mankotia joined the Janata Dal, which won 11 seats
• 1998: Expelled Congress leader Sukh Ram floated Himachal Vikas Congress, winning five seats
• 2007: BSP led by Vijai Singh Mankotia made big entry into HP, but failed to win even a single seat
• 2012: Breakaway BJP faction led by Maheshwar Singh floated Himachal Lokhit Party, winning one seat.

Though the ruling BJP has put in its might to break the jinx of a party not repeating its government, the Congress is trying to match up with constraints like resource crunch and absence of tall leadership making it an uphill task. With Himachal being the home state of BJP resident Jagat Prakash Nadda, the stakes are high for the BJP and the party supremo would certainly not want to bite the dust on his home turf.

Taking on the high decibel campaign of the BJP is, however, proving to be an uphill task for the Congress which is going in the polls for the first time in the absence of its tallest leader and six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Even as his wife Pratibha Singh, who has been handed over the reins of the party, is trying to steer the campaign she obviously lacks the charisma and political acumen the Raja. Added to this is the problem of there being several claimants for the post of Chief Minister, resulting in factionalism plaguing the party.

The stage is set for a high pitched political war between the Congress and the BJ and it remains to be seen to what extent the AAP will make an impact. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, AAP had fielded candidates from all the four parliamentary seats. However, barring former BJP minister from Kangra Rajan Sushant, the security deposits of all others, including Kargil hero Capt Vikram Batra’s mother Kamal Kant Batra, who had contested from Hamirpur, were forfeited. AAP did not field its candidates in the 2017 Assembly elections.

As far as past attempts to forge a third front are concerned, it was in 1990 that the Janata Dal won 11 seats in the Assembly polls with Vijai Singh Mankotia being at the forefront. Another serious attempt to float a regional party was made in 1996 when Sukh Ram formed the Himachal Vikas Congress, winning five seats.

Sensing the trend in Himachal of no party being able to repeat the government, the BJP has been working overtime to ensure Mission Repeat for a long time. Having a well galvanised organisational set up with no dearth of resources, the party is way ahead in its campaign than the Congress. The BJP, on the other hand, has the biggest advantage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally leading the campaign in a state he refers to as his ‘second home.’

However, the Congress is banking heavily on anti-incumbency working in its favour as has been the trend in the state. It is trying to gain sympathy by seeking support of over two lakh government employees who are peeved with the government for not acceding to its demand of restoration of the old pension scheme. The Congress is hoping to do well in its bastion of Shimla by wooing the apple growers, who have traditionally supported the Congress.

AAP’s earlier foray into Himachal in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections had failed miserably. However having gained power in Punjab, this time around they are trying to get a foothold in Himachal to be able to build on it in the coming time.