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Political activities pick pace in Himachal ahead of byelections
To strategise for the byelections, the BJP on Wednesday held a virtual meet of its state working committee, which was attended by all the senior leaders; Congress holds Jan Aakrosh rally
Though the election commission is yet to announce the poll schedule, political activities have picked pace in the state, with the two arch-rivals – the ruling BJP and the Opposition –eyeing the byelections to Mandi Lok Sabha and Fatehpur and Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly seats.
Elections to the three seats were necessitated due to the death of sitting representatives. The Mandi Lok Sabha seat fell vacant due to the demise of MP Ramswaroop Sharma. Jubbal-Kotkhai MLA Narinder Bragta had died of post-Covid complications, while Fatehpur legislator Sujan Singh Pathania passed away due to prolonged illness.
The byelection will be a litmus test for the BJP, particularly chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, whose popularity has taken a beating of late due to different controversies.
The Congress is hoping to snatch the Mandi Lok Sabha seat and Jubbal-Kotkhai from the BJP. Fatehpur has remained a Congress stronghold, while the Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly segment has seen a change of guard in the last four elections.
To strategise for the byelections, the BJP on Wednesday held a virtual meet of its state working committee, which was attended by all the senior leaders besides national vice-president Saudan Singh, state in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna, his deputy Sanjay Tondon and chief minister Jai Ram Thakur.
State BJP president Suresh Kashyap said the party has already deputed in-charges and co in-charges for the bypolls.
“We have directed the workers to pull up their socks and start working at booth-level,” said Kashyap, adding that the party’s election committee will meet soon to finalise the candidates.
“We will win all the three byelections,” claimed the BJP chief, adding that the BJP had also prepared a roadmap for the 2022 election.
Speaking on the occasion, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said the Congress had played petty politics during the Covid pandemic. “The Opposition has no reason to criticise the government. Unemployment and inflation prevailed during Congress’ regime too,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Congress has blown the bulge from its stronghold, the Fatehpur assembly segment, where the state party chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore held a “Jan Aakrosh” rally.
Though the rally was against rising inflation, unemployment and government failures on various fronts, the real purpose was to gauge the public mood in the politically significant Kangra district. Taking on the government during the rally, Rathore said, the Congress would win the byelections as the public is disappointed with the current regime.
“The Opposition won most posts in the Panchayati Raj Elections but the BJP misused government machinery to obtain the support of winning candidates,” he said.
He also took pot shots at the BJP over the rising fuel prices and inflation and said the public will not only ensure defeat of saffron regime in byelections but will also show it the door in the 2022 assembly polls. The mega event was joined by senior leaders, including Mukesh Agnihotri, Asha Kumari, GS Bali and Chander Kumar, among others.
Popular regional singer Karnail Rana joined BJP on Wednesday at his native place Dehra. Rana, a former employee of the state information and public relation department was welcomed into the party by forest minister Rakesh Pathania during the virtual meeting of state working committee.
