Wary of Aam Aadmi Party’s surge in the neighbouring Punjab, the ruling BJP has re-devised its strategy for the Himachal assembly polls due at the end of this year.
During a meeting held at Hotel Petrerhoff on Thursday to review poll preparations, the Saffron Party decided not to allocate tickets to its block and district presidents, but urged them to devote their time to work at the grassroots level to strengthen the party organisation. Apart from chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, state party chief Suresh Kashyap; national vice-president and zone in-charge Saudan Singh; organisation secretary Pawan Rana and co-in-charge for Himachal affairs Sanjay Tandon attended the meeting. As many 74 presidents of block units, 148 general secretaries, in-charges for the parliamentary seats and party lifers were also present.
There is also growing fear within the party that AAP could cut into its Dalit vote bank in the state. To counter this, BJP for the first time opted for a Scheduled Caste candidate for Rajya Sabha, as former Himachal Pradesh University vice-chancellor Sikander Kumar was elected unopposed. Prior to being appointed as vice-chancellor of HPU, Kumar headed the scheduled caste morcha and party’s intellectual cell. In 2017, the BJP won in 13 assembly segments reserved for the scheduled caste candidates, while Congress won in Rohru, Rampur Bushar, Renuka and Solan seats.
As per the 2011 census, 50.72% of state’s population belong to higher castes (32.72% Rajput and 18% Brahmin), 25.22% to Scheduled Castes (SCs), 5.71% to STs, 13.52% to OBCs, and 4.83% to other communities. BJP’s vote share in 2017 was 48.8%, Congress 41.7%, Communist Party of India 1.6% and independents 6.5%.
BJP will also bank heavily on the women’s electorate in Himachal, which CM Jai Ram Thakur made evident through the budget as a series of welfare schemes for women were introduced. In 2017, more women had exercised their franchise than men, even as the state recorded its highest turnout in assembly polls at 74.61%, as per official figures. In 48 out of 68 Assembly constituencies, the polling percentage of women was higher than men, whereas in the number of female voters was more than men in only 15 of them.
{{/usCountry}}BJP will also bank heavily on the women’s electorate in Himachal, which CM Jai Ram Thakur made evident through the budget as a series of welfare schemes for women were introduced. In 2017, more women had exercised their franchise than men, even as the state recorded its highest turnout in assembly polls at 74.61%, as per official figures. In 48 out of 68 Assembly constituencies, the polling percentage of women was higher than men, whereas in the number of female voters was more than men in only 15 of them.
{{/usCountry}}Besides, the party has directed its workers to get in touch with the representatives of panchayats.
BJP leader and workers will start door-to-door campaigning on April 6, the foundation day of the party. This is the same day chosen by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to start a statewide campaign from Jai Ram’s home turf Mandi. Kejriwal, along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, will hold a roadshow in Mandi, where many prominent leaders from Congress and BJP are likely to join AAP.
BJP leaders meet Jai Ram, Markanda
BJP national vice-president and regional in-charge Saudan Singh paid a courtesy visit to chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and technical education minister Ramlal Markanda.
General secretary Trilok Jamwal, organisation minister Pawan Rana, state vice-president Payal Vaidya, spokesperson Baldev Tomar and co-media in-charge Karn Nanda were also present. Jamwal apprised the chief minister that meetings at all the Parliamentary constituencies of HP- Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi and Shimla from March 21 to 24 were completely successful. In these meetings, the BJP discussed all its upcoming plans in detail.