In a state that traditionally chooses between two parties,a third has added some serious variety every now and then. In 1998,Sukh Rams Himachal Vikas Congress helped sweep the Congress out of power. In 2007,the BSP stewarded by Vijai Singh Mankotia helped shut the Congress out by eating into its votes. This time,the challenge comes primarily to the BJP,and from the Himachal Lokhit Party,launched by Maheshwar Singh. The four-time MP,who quit the BJP with allegations of corruption and misrule against Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal,is a potential threat to the BJPs calculations in its traditional strongholds of Kullu and Kangra,besides Kinnaur,Mandi,Shimla and Bilaspur. Looking at a larger role in the formation of the government in case the Assembly is hung,the party has fielded 36 candidates,beside forging an alliance with the CPM and the CPI. It is also backing three Independents including former BJP minister Roop Singh Thakur,who has been denied a party ticket from Sundarnagar in Mandi. Another BJP rebel,Kangra MP Rajan Sushant,too has thrown his lot with the HLP,with his wife Sudha Sushant contesting as an Independent from Fatehpur. The third Independent is a Congress rebel,Kreenesh Jung. Our party has resolved to wipe out the BJP, says Maheshwar. It is full of corrupt people,middlemen,brokers and unscrupulous businessmen. It has looted Himachal Pradesh and will never return to power. He says the corruption involves people close to Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and his family. Along with six BJP MLAs and ministers,Maheshwar had approached Nitin Gadkari with papers he cited as evidence of corruption and misuse of power by people close to Dhumal. Had Gadkari acted,the BJP could have formed the government. Maheshwar is contesting from Kullu Sadar and has a candidate in two of Kullu districts other three seats,Manali and Ani. The exception is Banjar,where his brother Karan Singh,a former BJP minister,is now the Congress candidate. The election has other players including the Trinamool Congress that is contesting over 30 seats,the NCP and the BSP,but it is the HLP with its Left allies that threatens to play the spoiler,largely to the BJP and to an extent to the Congress. Last time,the BSP won a lone seat,Kangra,but MLA Sanjay Chauduhry later joined the BJP. The CPM is well-placed in half a dozen constituencies as the HLPs ally. Asked if he would prefer the Congress to the BJP if the numbers put him in a position to bargain,Maheshwar said, We keeping all options open but we will never support anyone tainted with corruption. The BJPs Ganesh Dutt rules out the HLP as a contender. The BJP faces no threat from them, he said,predicting the BJPs return to power. The Election Commission has allotted the HLP a telephone as its symbol. It was once the symbol of Sukh Rams party,which ended up becoming kingmaker in 1998.
