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All eyes on Mandi: BJP to counter Kejriwal’s show with foot march
The AAP has chosen April 6, the foundation day of the BJP, to launch its campaign from Mandi, the home turf of sitting Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur
After its stupendous victory in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has set its eyes on Himachal, which goes to poll at the end of this year.
The AAP has chosen April 6, the foundation day of the BJP, to launch its campaign from Mandi, the home turf of sitting Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, for its maiden roadshow in the hill state to be attended by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann.
Both of them will arrive in Mandi town at 12pm to participate in a half kilometre roadshow from Victoria Bridge to Paddal Ground.
Meanwhile, the BJP has chosen to hold a foot march across all 12 districts to mobilise the cadres.
The politics largely has remained bipolar in Himachal, but the AAP is presenting itself as the third alternative in the state and launched a massive membership drive.
Since the Punjab election results, more than three lakh people have joined the AAP in Himachal, the party leaders have claimed. Among them are many professionals from various fields and panchayat representatives.
As the party lacks a formidable face to lead its campaign in the hill state, it is highly likely that some big leaders who are disgruntled with the BJP or the Congress may join the AAP during the Mandi event.
AAP leaders have said that they welcome all who want to join, keeping aside their personal interests. Party’s election in charge for Himachal and Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said that Mandi was the obvious choice for roadshow as it is currently the epicentre of state politics for being the home turf of chief minister Jai Ram Thakur.
“We like to take on tough challenges and as Himachal’s CM comes from Mandi. We are pretty sure of repeating what we have done in Punjab, where the sitting chief minister lost the elections from both the seats he contested,” he added.
State party in-charge Durgesh Pathak said the way the AAP was emerging as a major political force in Indian politics, people of Himachal would also go with them as they are fed up with the two parties shuffling power between them.
“The BJP took a collective decision to celebrate April 6, the foundation day of the party, as a mega event. BJP’s foundation day would be celebrated at the constituency level. We have set a target for 5,000 workers per constituency. All office-bearers at the booth level will remain present at the maha jansampark abhiyan,” said state BJP president Suresh Kashyap.
On the occasion, the BJP will distribute kits to each of the participants in the rally comprising sticks, party flags and nameplates of workers and office-bearers along with booklets on the achievement of both the Centre and the state government.
With Kejriwal choosing his home turf to throw a new challenge, HP chief minister Jai Ram Thakur reached Mandi town Sunday evening where he reviewed the arrangements. Party’s massive plans to celebrate the foundation day are also seen as a move to counter the AAP. Jai Ram, ministers and BJP’s legislators will participate in the foot march in their respective assembly segments.
BJP’s national vice-president Saudan Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the party workers on the foundation day at 10am. He said that the BJP will also start its ‘maha jansampark’ drive on the same day.
‘Main contest in polls to be between BJP and AAP’
AAP leader Satyendar Jain on Tuesday projected his party a viable alternative to the ruling BJP and opposition Congress in Himachal Pradesh.
“AAP is a better option for Himachal Pradesh as both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress have looted the hill state,” said Jain.
Talking to the media here, Jain claimed that the main contest in Himachal Pradesh in the coming assembly elections will be between the BJP and the AAP.
The Congress has lost its ground and the AAP has sufficient experience of defeating it, he said.
