Political scene again starts hotting up in Himachal

The BJP state executive, in fact had taken a lead last month by finalising the plan for tours of the ministers and later two separate training camps of the party held at Una and Kasauli gave further push to the ongoing strategies of the party. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who was in New Delhi for the past three days today reached Sirmaur where he was also joined by Health Minister J.P.Nadda to address public meetings. Till they return, Transport Minister Krishan Kapoor is also slated to tour some areas of the same district by this week end.

Next on Dhumal’s target is Kangra, where he not only proposes to camp for at least three days but has fixed a meeting of the state cabinet on September 9. Although there was nothing special on the agenda – which cabinet proposes to take up at Dharamshala, Chief Minister wants to send a message that lower Himachal areas would continue get a “fair deal” from the government.

Another objective behind the proposed cabinet meeting and Kangra tour of Chief Minister was to dispel the impression of his rivalry with former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar. A sitting MP from Kangra, Shanta Kumar wields considerable political strength in the area and majority of BJP MLAs from the district, still remains his close confidants.

After Dhumal had decided to transfer erstwhile the Kashmir House complex to the HP Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) – which Virbhadra Singh had converted into an office-cum-residence of Chief Minister for “Winter move”, a large number of Kangra leaders had advised Dhumal to increase his tours to the area. The Chief Minister also had claimed that government had only transferred the building (complex) for its fruitful usages and not scrapped the winter-move.

The Chief Minister, besides Kangra also proposes to undertake tours to Mandi and Kullu districts. His ministers had also been circulated a detailed programme for their visits to the districts and meetings with party office-bearers.The opposition Congress had also started exercise to activise its workers, who had become quite demoralised after party lost power in the state. There had been sharp division within the party as whether it should topple the BJP-HVC coalition government or wait for its natural fall.

HVC president Sukh Ram, who had spurned the Congress offers, had also started his separate tour of the districts to expand the HVC ranks. He had also advised the HVC leaders to increase their turnings and build up the party set for making HVC third force in real sense.