Modiled campaign powered BJP comeback Anti-incumbency wave, infighting did Cong in
Knowing HP’S political pulse, PM targeted Virbhadra on corruption, misgovernance
SHIMLA: A robust election campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that effectively tapped into the undercurrent of anti-incumbency against the Congress worked for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Himachal Pradesh.
While the party was expected to beat the faction-ridden Congress in the state where governments have traditionally changed every five years, the scale of its victory – 44 out of 68 assembly seats – reflects a groundswell of support. It is also a huge morale booster ahead of the assembly elections in key states such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka, next year.
The resounding triumph has come in the face of a high-decibel campaign run by the Congress against the goods and services tax (GST), derisively dubbed as ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’ by then Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi (now president), and demonetisation. Besides giving a push to Modi’s economic reforms agenda, it also means the party has wrested another state from the Congress, further expanding its political footprint.
HIMACHAL CONNECT
Modi, who is ably backed by BJP president Amit Shah’s micromanagement skills, is being credited for the party’s comeback in the hill state. A master of rhetoric, Modi, who was party affairs in-charge here about two decades ago, knows the political pulse of the state. He targeted chief minister Virbhadra Singh on corruption and misgovernance, using innuendo and sarcasm.
Modi addressed half-a-dozen well-attended rallies, playing on his ‘connect’ with the people. However, the strike rate in assembly segments where his rallies were organised may not please the PM as the party candidates failed to win their seats in half of them.
ALL GUNS BLAZING
The BJP also drafted most of its big guns from the start. Campaign rallies were addressed by Shah, central leaders Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and Smriti Irani, besides chief ministers Yogi Adityanath and Trivendra Rawat.
The blitzkrieg overshadowed the Congress, capturing the imagination of change-hungry voters in the state. The ruling party’s campaign was led by the six-time chief minister – the oldest candidate in the fray – with most of his ministerial colleagues and other state leaders, including Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, remaining confined to their constituencies.
Unlike the BJP, the Congress central leaders played the supporting cast and left the chief minister on his own. While Rahul Gandhi held only three rallies towards the closing stages of the campaign, several others did not go beyond Shimla. Virbhadra did put up a spirited fight, but it was not enough to counter its rival’s formidable election machinery.
QUICK THINKING
The BJP was also quick on its feet, changing strategy. The party leadership had decided not to name the CM candidate as there were multiple aspirants. It did not want a repeat of 2012 when infighting between Dhumal and Shanta Kumar, a veteran leader, saw rebel candidates in 18 constituencies and derailed the campaign. When Virbhadra, who was named by the Congress as its CM face, repeatedly raked up its failure to announce an alternative face, the party changed tack, declaring Dhumal as the pick.
However, that strategy did not work, as Dhumal lost from Sujanpur to his one-time lieutenant-turned-rival Rajinder Rana even though the party scored a spectacular win. Earlier, Shah had pressed into service his troubleshooters such as Thawar Chand Gehlot, Mangal Pandey and JP Nadda to placate the rebels and prompt action was taken against those who did not fall in line. SHIMLA: Factionalism, charges of corruption and an anti- incumbency wave against the chief minister Virbhadra Singh-led government led to the Congress’ abysmal show in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, leaving the party powerless even in its strongholds.
Congress performance was dismal in the state’s two biggest districts — Kangra and Mandi — and its bastions Shimla and Kullu. The party was shrunk to just one seat in Sirmour district that comprises five assembly segments. The only saving grace was in Solan, where the party claimed three of total five seats, including chief minister Virbhadra Singh win over BJP'S Rattan Singh Pal in Arki.
Starting its campaign a year beforetheelectionsgavethebharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a head start, with the party bracing its cadres for the polls by bringing in state as well as national leaders.
Armed with its statewide “Mafia hatao, Pradesh bachao” campaign, the saffron fold launched a blitzkrieg on the party, hitting out at the chief minister’s cases of corruption and disproportionate assets.
Congress’ counter campaign — “Modi ke bol jhumlo ke dhol” — failed to find favour with the masses with Virbhadra shuttling between Delhi and Shimla for cases, leaving governance in the state suffering.
Five years into power, Congress could not get its act together even when the elections were announced. Both the state party chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Virbhadra remained busy outscoring each other, intensifying the ill-timed power struggle ahead of the elections.
Strengthened with a strong organisational background, Sukhu took on the might of Virbhadra, a six-time chief minister, who in turn pushed the high command to remove Sukhu.
The Congress also failed to promote the second line of leadership, who could replace Virbhadra, leaving it with no choice but to rely on its old war horse.
During the ticket allocation, Congress largely retained its sitting legislators and ministers, despite the anti-incumbency factor. Many sitting ministers and Congress big wigs eventually lost.
Congress Rajya Sabha member Viplove Thakur lost from Dehra to independent candidate Hoshiyar Singh. Excise minister Parkash Chaudhary could not retain his seat from Balh, while forest minister Bharmouri, too, lost from Bharmour. Transport minister GS Bali, who contested elections for the fifth time, lost his fort in Nagrota. Urban development minister Sudhir Sharma lost from Dharamshala to former industries minister Kishan Kapoor, while health minister Kaul Singh Thakur and his daughter Champa Thakur could also not taste victory.
Interestingly, except Vinay Kumar and Nand Lal from Rampur Bushahr, all chief parliamentary secretaries — Rohit Thakur, Rajesh Dharmani, Mansa Ram, Jagjivan Pal, Sohan Lal Thakur and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal — could not retain their seats.
The “botched-up” police investigation in the rape and murder of a school girl in Kotkhai and the subsequent custodial death of a Nepalese man, an accused in the case, further aggravated problems for the Congress. The BJP and Communist Party of Indiamarxist promptly steered public anger against the Congress-led government and police for shoddy probe into the case, further denting the party’s prospects in the impending elections.
MODI, WHO WAS THE BJP AFFAIRS INCHARGE IN HIMACHAL PRADESH TWO DECADES AGO, ADDRESSED HALFADOZEN RALLIES, PLAYING ON HIS ‘CONNECT’ WITH THE PEOPLE