HIMACHAL GOES TO POLLS: WHEN A STATE’S PURSE IS TOO LIGHT

Former Union minister and Himachal Pradesh chief minister (CM) Shanta Kumar’s ambivalent reaction, to the news that Prem Kumar Dhumal will be CM if their Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is able to form a government from the 68- member legislature after the coming election, is rooted in history. Kumar was the Cabinet minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government, when the Gujarat rio ts took place. When reporters asked Kumar what he thought, his answer was to repeat Vajp aye e’ s observations about Raj Dharma.

This, in turn, had a history. As a party general secretary in charge of Himachal Pradesh in 1997, NarendraModi had tried to shake things up. As the leader from Kan gr a, Shanta Kumar was the unchallenged king of the BJP; Kangra sent the largest number of MLAs to the Assembly. Modi decided things had to change if the BJP was to acquire a serious presence in the state. He created and promoted other leaders to succeed Kumar. Among them were Suresh Chandel, Kripal Parmar and Dhumal.

Later, Chandel turned out to be one of the MPs caught in the cash-for-query scam and was suspended from the Lok Sabha. Parmar stayed in state and district-level politics. But, Dhumal went on to become CM in 1998 and again in 2007, in addition to being a four-term MP and president of the state BJP. This time, the party had almost decided to send JPN add a, the Union health minister, as CM if it won the election. However, he is a RajyaSabha member and would have had to vacate a precious House seat. More, rumours, possibly floated by his rivals, about involvement in a medical college scam, could come back to hurt the BJP. The decision to name Dhumal was taken late into the campaign— and has certainly boosted morale, especially in some regions, such as Mandi. Dhumal is 73. No one, including top central leaders, believes he will be CM for five more years. “This (Himachal Pradesh) election is not about this election— it is about 2019 (the next Lok Sabha poll),” said a central leader.

Hence, the party does not wish to try untested political propositions. Dhumal is known in the state for infrastructure creation. It helps that son Anurag is involved in cricket administration — in a highly literate and relatively affluent state, cricket is a passion. A cricket stadium in Dharamsala, near his Hamirpur constituency, has helped the BJP, along with Anurag and Dhumal.

Some things in Himachal have not changed. About 92,000 hectares is under apple production; 80 percent of people in the state are directly or indirectly associated with this business. Apple alone accounts for 46.5 per cent of area and 73.8 per cent of production of all fruit grown in the state. Amid the countrywide confusion on the goods and services tax, Baddi in Himachal Pradesh is assured of special region status for another 10 years. So, Dhumal has much to thank the Centre for. But, new industrial policies will have to be devised for the new Himachal Pradesh he is offering.