Congress comeback heats up elections
FACEOFF Dhumal versus Nadda can dampen BJP spirits
SHIMLA/SOLAN: Himachal-Pradesh chief minister Vi rb had ra Sing h’ s decision to abandon the politically influential apple belt at the last minute has put the Congress in a quandary in the hill state where the grand old party is pitted in a keen contest with the B JP.
There is no formidable Congress face from the region, known as the party’ s bastion for decades. The B JP, however, has projected former horticulture minister Narendra Bragta as a voice of apple belt.
“We always stood with Raja Sa heb( Vi rb had ra Singh ),” said a bewildered Congress leader Na rendra Chauhan ofKot ga rh that falls in the apple region that can swing 11 seats in the 68 member Himachal assembly. “This time he has abandoned us for his son .”
Eighty-three year-old veteran Congress leader forced the grand old party to relax its rule of ‘one famil,’ one ticket’ so that his 28-year-old son Vikramaditya Singh can contest from his con- stituency Shimla (rural).
Sing hi ni ti ally declared that he will contest from Theog, a constituency in heart of the apple belt, which was represented by Vi dy a Stokes, 89. But, later shifted to safer Arki, a segment not considered part of the rich apple belt.
The move, many believe, has sent a signal that the veteran Congress leader has lost trust of his core supporters.
“We( apple growers) have been with Raja Saheb since he joined politics in 1970s,” said Rajesh Justa, while sipping teaata roadside stall in Kotkhai, which had been in news for violence following rape and murder of a class 10 student earlier this year.
BJP— A DIVIDED HOUSE
Whenever B JP comes to power, it wins from Sol an, amid-way town between S him la and Chandigarh.
This time the party may win again but the local unit is witnessing in fighting that has become a hallmark of the party’ s campaign in the state.
The BJP’s rank and file is divided between former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who is con testing from Suja np ur in lower Himachal, and union health minister JPN add a, who is being described as chief ministerial choice of the central leadership if the BJP wins.
The tussle was said to be a reason for the delay in announcing tickets and also areas on for some rebels con testing independently.
CONGRESS RECOVERY
The Congress appears to have recovered some lost ground in recent months because traders are not happy with Goods and Service Tax implementation and farmers not getting a remunerative price for their apple crop due to demonetisation-induced cash crunch.
Harish Thakur, head of the political science department in the Himachal Pradesh University, said: “If the elections were held in July the Congress would have been reduced to single digit. But, now they have made a comeback and it will be interesting to see whether they can upset the favourites (BJP)”.