INDIA VOTES 2024: BJP relies on PM’s charisma to garner votes in Kangra

Lalit Mohan

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Dharamsala, April 6

The BJP is relying on the charisma of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek votes in the Lok Sabha elections in the Kangra constituency. The Congress, on the other hand, will rely on the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in the state and the enhanced compensation granted to people who had suffered losses during the monsoon fury last year.

The BJP has already taken the lead by declaring its candidate for the Kangra Lok Sabha seat. It has fielded Rajeev Bhardwaj, a former Chairman of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank (KCCB) and close confidant of former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar. The BJP has denied ticket to sitting Kangra MP Kishan Kapoor this time.

Cong banks on OPS, enhanced relief

• Some former ministers and senior party leaders have been trying for BJP ticket from the Kangra seat but the party chose Rajeev Bhardwaj with a view that he will win the elections by seeking votes in the name of the Prime Minister
• The Congress, on the other hand, is relying on the implementation of the old pension scheme (OPS) by its government and increased relief to people for losses suffered during the monsoon disaster last year

Kapoor, a Gaddi leader from Dharamsala, had won the 2019 Lok Sabha poll with a record margin of over 4.7 lakh votes. However, Kapoor has been keeping away from party programmes in Kangra after he was denied ticket. The BJP leadership has not seriously tried to bring around Kapoor. Though the Gaddi community has got a strong presence in the Kangra parliamentary constituency, the BJP leadership feels that Kapoor had won the last Lok Sabha election with a record margin due to the Prime Minister’s charisma.

Some former ministers and senior party leaders have been trying for BJP ticket from the Kangra seat but the party chose Rajeev Bhardwaj with a view that he will win the elections by seeking votes in the name of the Prime Minister.

The Congress, on the other hand, is relying on the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) by its government in the state and increased relief to people for losses suffered during the monsoon disaster last year.

There is a significant presence of government employees in the Kangra parliamentary constituency and the Congress leaders feel that they will vote for the party. Sources say that the employees are deeply divided on political lines, so the Congress’ expectation that a majority of them will vote for its candidate in Kanga is a far-fetched dream.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has increased compensation given to people who had lost their properties during the monsoon disaster from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh. He accused the Union Government of not helping the state during the natural disaster. The Congress will try to capitalise on the work done by the Chief Minister during the natural disaster, in the Lok Sabha poll in Kangra.

The Congress has 12 MLAs in 16 Assembly segments that come under the Kangra parliamentary constituency but it is yet to formulate a strategy to make up for 4.7 lakh lead it had ceded to the BJP during the 2019 poll.