Close fight between BJP, Congress

BJP has dropped 11 sitting MLAs from candidate list to fight anti-incumbency sentiments in the State; Congress may be hit by factionalism and fragmented

A close fight is on the cards in the upcoming Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh, with the ruling BJP hindered by anti-incumbency sentiments, while the challenging Congress has been affected by factionalism and fragmented leadership within its State units.

Himachal Pradesh is scheduled to go to the polls in a week’s time, on November 12, to elect representatives to the 68 seats in its Legislative Assembly. Many voters have expressed mixed sentiments towards both the Congress and the BJP, which have been alternatively forming governments in the State for over three decades.

The bipolar nature of the electoral battle is unlikely to change this time around. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is contesting 67 out of 68 seats after an emphatic win in neighbouring Punjab earlier this year, hardly seems to have found a foot on the ground among Himachal Pradesh’s voters.

In Bilaspur district’s Panjpuri village, 24-year-old Lucky, who runs a daily need shop, said he had been confident of the BJP’s return to power until its candidates were announced. “Several schemes were started by the BJP, especially the one for free treatment, which is good. I feel they [BJP] did a fine job, but after they announced their candidates, dropping their sitting MLAs in a few constituencies, there’s a feeling that the party was not confident of its work,” he said.

The BJP has denied candidature to 11 of its sitting MLAs, including a Minister, and has also shifted the constituencies of two other Ministers. The selection of new faces as BJP candidates is being seen by a section of voters as a strategic attempt by the party to offset the anti-incumbency factor.

“The BJP gave tickets to new faces, and also changed seats of some others. This indicates that the BJP is well aware of the fact that there’s anger against them,” said Dalip Gupta, who runs a tiny grocery store in Shimla, the State capital. Noting that Cabinet Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, who is the MLA currently representing the Shimla (Urban) seat, will be contesting from the Kasumpti constituency instead this year, Mr. Gupta opined that “this is a clear indication that they are fearing a backlash”.

“During the Covid-19 lockdown period, people like me struggled, but there was hardly any government help. There were announcements of certain waivers, but I didn’t get any rebate in the garbage bills, water and electricity bills,” said Mr. Gupta. “By and large, no political party - be it the BJP or the Congress -- keep their election promises. The government has policies for its employees but for people like me, who run small private shops there’s hardly anything. Having said that, one thing the BJP did good was the ‘health card’, in which a benefit upto ₹5 lakh is given.”