Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The largest district in lower Himachal has always been a virtual keg at every election, charged with electoral buzz and powerful enough to alter political fates. This time is no different. Ahead of the elections to 65 Assembly seats in the second phase of polling, slated for December 19, Kangra is back in focus. This time, Kangra, which comprises 16 seats, is alive with the issue that has haunted it for several years now8212;discrimination in development and jobs. The only difference is that the feeling of coming to power at any cost seems to be overwhelming8212;a sentiment that has placed the BJP in an advantageous position compared to the Congress.
The BJP is well entrenched in Kangra after five years of the Congress rule. Kangra is also home to former chief minister Shanta Kumar, one of BJP8217;s chief ministerial choices, if the party returns to power. Shanta Kumar lost the 2004 Lok Sabha election and did not stake claim in 19988212;when Prem Kumar Dhumal replaced Virbhadra Singh, joining hands with the Sukh Ram-led Himachal Vikas Party, which had won five seats.
Mankotia, who has often raised the bogey of regionalism, rebelled against Virbhadra Singh, accused him of corruption, quit the party and now leads the Bahujan Samaj Party in the polls. This is the first time that Mayawati8212;after her social engineering card paid off in UP8212;is trying to gain a foothold in the state, which has almost always seen a two-party contest. Mankotia8217;s exit from the Congress is possibly a greater loss than the Government8217;s efforts to bridge the regional divide.
None of the populist measures8212;construction of the new Rs 10 crore Vidhan Sabha Complex at Dharamsala, the decision to hold the Assembly8217;s winter session in Kangra or the chief minister8217;s 40-day winter move8212;have succeeded in given the Congress an edge.
8220;What is required in Kangra to bridge the regional divide is the restoration of people8217;s faith in the leadership. If the leadership starts creating doubts or ignores the popular sentiment, it creates a feeling of bias,8221; says Jairam Thakur, state8217;s BJP chief.
Besides Kangra, the adjoining districts like Hamirpur, Una, Bilaspur, Chamba, Kullu and Mandi are also echoing similar sentiments. This block of 48 Assembly seats has now become crucial for the BJP. Though the party doesn8217;t have a major foothold in Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur districts can be significant.
Virbhadra Singh, ever since he became chief minister in the early 1980s, has faced charges of regional disparities during every election. Earlier, it also related to the development and share of government jobs, but now 8220;power to rule8221; is a bigger sentiment.
In 2003, the Congress won 12 seats in Kangra, but later lost one Guler in a by-election to the BJP. It8217;s a fact that the party which wins more than 10-11 seats in Kangra comes to power in Shimla.
Similarly in 1998, when Dhumal became chief minister, Kangra and Hamirpur tilted the balance of power from the Congress to the BJP.
Dhumal too was not spared by his own party ministers and legislators8212;who threatened pull the rags out of Dhumal8217;s feet, if he didn8217;t give Kangra due importance.
