D-day: All eyes on kingmaker Kangra

DHARAMSHALA: WITH 15 seats in the 68-member House, all eyes are set on the politically significant Kangra district, which has earned the distinction of tilting political scales ever since it was merged in Himachal Pradesh in 1966.

It has been seen over the years that whichever party wins the maximum number of seats in Kangra district forms the government. In fact, it’s a popular saying in the political circles of Himachal Pradesh that the road to Shimla goes through Kangra.

The district earlier had 16 assembly segments but the number was reduced by one in the delimitation exercise in 2012.

In the 1977 election, held right after emergency was lifted, Himachal saw its first non-congress government led by Janata Party (JNP), which won 14 out of the 16 seats.

In the 1982 election, BJP won 10 out of the 16 seats in Kangra and was almost in a position to form the government with 29 legislators on its side but Independents played the spoilsport. In 1985, the Congress won 11 seats from the district and formed the government.

In 1990, the BJP came to power after winning 13 seats from Kangra district. The government, however, was sacked by the Centre in December 1992 after Babri Masjid demolition and the BJP faced a humiliating defeat. Even the sitting chief minister Shanta Kumar lost. Congress won 12 seats in Kangra and formed the government.

In 1998, the BJP formed government with the support of Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC). However, it would have never been easy for the saffron party had it not won 12 seats in Kangra. In 2003, Kangra again voted against the incumbent regime giving 10 seats to Congress which formed the government.

In 2007, the BJP bounced back to power and the party bagged nine seats in the district and in 2012 Kangra favoured Congress giving it 10 seats.

Poll analysts say Kangra will again play the role of a Kingmaker. “The importance of Kangra can be gauged from the fact that the BJP had focused its campaign on Kangra and Prime Minister Narender Modi held three back-to-back rallies here,” said a political analyst. “Which way Kangra has swung will be known on Monday,” he added.

Meanwhile, they feel that BJP has an edge given the fact that Kangra always votes against incumbent government.

Bigwigs from Kangra, whose fate will be decided include transport minister GS Bali, urban development minister Sudhir Sharma; veteran Congress leader Viplove Thakur; former minister Vijai Singh Mankotia, who is contesting as an Indpendent; BJP’S Ravinder Singh Ravi and Kishan Kapoor.

BIGWIGS FROM KANGRA, WHOSE FATE WILL BE DECIDED ARE GS BALI, SUDHIR SHARMA; VIPLOVE THAKUR AND VIJAI SINGH MANKOTIA