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Himachal assembly polls: Kangra turns battleground for BJP, AAP
BJP national chief JP Nadda to address public meeting in Kangra district a day before Kejriwal’s rally; Congress marred by factionalism
Kangra, the nerve centre of Himachal Pradesh politics and the largest district in the state, has turned into a battleground for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Admi Party, while the faction ridden main rival party - Congress is still lying low.
BJP’s state president Suresh Kashyap confirmed on Sunday that the party’s national president JP Nadda will attend a public meeting at Nagrota Bhawan on April 22 to blow the poll bugle in the district. This is just one day before AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s scheduled public rally in Kangra.
Nadda, who is beaming with confidence after BJP’s win in four states, is aware that winning assembly elections in his home state of Himachal is crucial not only for the party but for him too. He has fully turned his focus towards the hill state, where the Saffron Party is facing internal challenges and will have to battle anti-incumbency as well. This will be Nadda’s second visit to poll bound state within a month after his four-day tour from April 9-12.
With one-fourth of the total House strength of 68 members, Nadda’s tour to Kangra holds great significance. It’s a popular saying in Himachal politics that the road to Shimla goes through Kangra and the party that wins Kangra, forms the government.
Kangra gave Himachal its first non-Congress chief minister when BJP formed the government under the leadership of Shanta Kumar in 1977.
However, infighting may hurt BJP in the district, where former minister Ramesh Dhawala and state organisation secretary Pavan Rana are at daggers drawn.
However, Kashyap has refuted any assertion over threat to the party. “Congress is already a diminishing power in the state, while AAP has no organisational structure which gives BJP an edge in the district,” he said.
‘People of HP want Kejriwal model’
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is quickly expanding its support base in Himachal, has claimed that hundreds of youths have left BJP and Congress and joined them in Kangra.
AAP organising secretary Satendra Tonger said that on Saturday, hundreds of youths joined AAP in Kangra and dozens of Congress workers were inducted into the party in Sulah assembly segment.
Young people joining AAP before Kejriwal’s Kangra rally on April 23 is good sign for the party, which is fast emerging as a third alternative in the state. “Both BJP and Congress have used the common man, especially youth, as their vote bank due to which there is an anger among the people against them,” he said.
“After AAP’s victory in Delhi and Punjab and seeing that the party takes decisions in public interest, people of the state are now influenced by Kejriwal model and are keen to join us,” added Tonger.
The AAP had come in as cropper in its debut in 2014 Lok Sabha elections when all the four party candidates forfeited their security deposit. It did not contest the 2017 elections.
On the other hand, Congress is lying low for quite sometimes, especially after the party’s defeat in assembly elections in five states. The victory in the four by-elections held last year in the state had given the party a boost, but the zeal in the cadre has faded away.
The party is also marred by factionalism as there are many claimants for the post of the chief minister after the demise of former six-term CM Virbhadra Singh. Some leaders have also raised the demand for change in leadership.
The party high command, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, have held several rounds of meetings but failed to resolve the leadership issue.
In Kangra, the party lacks a credible face to lead its campaign, especially after passing away of stalwart leader GS Bali. Age is not on the side of other prominent leaders like Viplove Thakur, Chandresh Kumari and Chander Kumar.
