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Himachal BJP goes for image makeover after bypoll defeat
The BJP was drubbed by the Congress in Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly segments as well as in Mandi in the recently held bypolls in Himachal
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The outcome of the recently concluded bypolls for three assembly and one parliamentary segment in Himachal Pradesh, wherein the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suffered a crushing defeat, has forced the saffron party to make urgent amends to improve its image ahead of the general assembly elections due next year.
After the party’s brainstorming session to assess the factors for electoral losses, the Himachal Pradesh cabinet that met for the second time after the bypolls results decided to take a series of steps to ensure speedy development works in the constituencies.
The BJP was drubbed by the Congress in Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly segments as well as in Mandi.
The cabinet that met under chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday deliberated on ways to improve the governance.
Delay in the execution of projects was leading to resentment among the public, while the opposition Congress had been repeatedly targeting the government over lack of development in the state.
The poor condition of roads, mainly in the rural roads, was one of the main issues in the byelections, besides inflation and unemployment.
The ministers in the cabinet meeting that lasted for nearly seven hours, besides giving approval to scores of decisions and welfare projects, held an informal discussion on improving the prospects of the party.
Each minister will be assigned two assembly constituencies, it was decided. The legislators will coordinate with ministers to accelerate the development works in their respective constituencies.
There are 11 ministers in the Jai Ram cabinet. The chief minister will look after five assembly segments of Mandi and five others will be assigned to senior-most minister Mahender Singh Thakur.
Traditionally, the ruling party holds an edge in byelections. However, the BJP’s troubles from its crushing defeat have been compounded by the fact that its vote share declined drastically.
In Fatehpur, the BJP’s vote share increased marginally from 30% in 2017 to 32% in the byelection, while that of the Congress went up from 32% to 42%.
In Jubbal-Kotkhai, 52% votes went to the Congress kitty, while rebel Chetan Bragta managed to secure 41% votes, leaving the BJP’s share shrinking to mere 4%.
In the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress’ vote share rose from 27% in the 2019 parliamentary elections to nearly 49% in the recent bypoll. The BJP’s vote share has declined from 69.7% in 2019 to about 48% this time.
The BJP’s state executive had in its meeting last month identified poor implementation of development projects on the ground as one of the factors due to which the party cadres were complacent, ultimately resulting in the party’s loss.
It was also held that due to overconfidence, the BJP failed to counter the issues of inflation and unemployment which the Congress had made its main poll plank.
