Journalism of Courage
WHILE it took the safe route by sticking to most of its sitting MLAs in Himachal Pradesh, the Congress is also battling rebellion in its ranks like the ruling BJP. On Sunday, the party suspended six leaders for six years, after they filed nominations as Independent.
Hopeful of its chances in the state that has a history of voting out incumbent governments, the Congress is banking that such troubles apart, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will help take it past the finishing line. In 2017, the Congress had won only 21 seats in the state, stopping short of half the BJP’s tally of 44.
Priyanka, who is leading the Congress’s campaign in the state, on Monday addressed a public meeting in Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur’s constituency in Mandi district. With October 31 Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary, she invoked her association with Himachal and talked about the Congress being the only alternative.
“If I go to any small area, they tell me that my daadi had visited it. They offer me kheer, like they had offered Indiraji. They have love for her even after 40 years. The politics of the current times have changed. There is money, greed and false promises in the present time. This was not the case during Indiraji’s time. This is why they respect her,” she said at the meeting.
On the late prime minister’s “personal connection” with the state, Priyanka said: “Indira Gandhi knew that the people of Himachal made Himachal.”
At a previous address in Solan, earlier this month, Priyanka spoke of Indira Gandhi’s speech on the day Himachal received statehood, back in 1972, and how people did not leave despite heavy snowfall.
She claimed that it was in honour of her grandmother and her own love for Himachal that she had built a house in Mashobra near Shimla, which she often visits. The house itself though remains controversial, with questions raised about how she was allotted land despite the hilly state’s strict regulations about who can own it.
However, whether it will prove enough to smooth over the divisions remains to be seen. In Theog, a key seat in Shimla district, for example, the Congress ticket has gone to Kuldeep Singh Rathore, a long-time party worker and former Himachal PCC president who will be contesting for the first time. That has left in the lurch Indu Verma, the wife of three-time BJP MLA Rakesh Verma, who joined the Congress two months ago in the hope of fighting from her late husband’s turf.
Verma had a considerable presence in the apple belt, while Indu herself headed the BJP district Mahila Morcha and was a member of the zila parishad. Sources said as Rathore was firm on contesting, the Congress could not turn him down. But now Verma’s supporters are expected to make the going tough for him.
Among those suspended on Sunday was Vijay Pal Singh Khachi, another aspirant from the seat and son of deceased veteran leader and minister J B L Khachi.
In Chopal, adjacent to Theog, Subhash Manglet has rebelled against the party’s high command after the ticket was given to a new face, Rajnish Khimta.
In Sullah, OBC leader and former MLA from the seat Jagjivan Pal, who had defeated senior BJP leader Vipin Parmar twice, held a show of strength with his supporters last week, announcing the Congress’s plan to field him again from the seat. But, following a meeting in Delhi, the ticket was given to Joseph Sepehia, whom party workers see as an outsider.
In Kangra’s Jaisinghpur, a politician with NRI roots and an office-bearer in the district unit, Sushil Kaul has opened a front against the Congress. He alleged the ticket was given to Yadvinder Goma due to his family name, and filed his nomination as an Independent.
Politics has come full circle for another Congress leader, Gangu Ram Musafir. He will be fighting the election as an Independent from the Pachhad (SC) seat after 40 years. A former minister and a six-time MLA, Musafir was vying for the ticket, but it went to Dayal Pyari, who had earlier joined the party from the BJP. A vengeful Musafir and his supporters had issued an ultimatum to the party till October 25, to reconsider its decision, but the party stuck to its guns.
Most of the protests have come from rebels who had defected from the BJP in anticipation of a ticket, and leaders who have been active in local politics. The key factor will be the mandals and the booth-level party workers, as several rebel leaders are expected to garner cadre support against Congress nominees, leading to a split in votes.
Within the party, there is a belief that despite the rebellions, ticket distribution has been fairly smooth, and that BJP’s handling of the same has been worse. “Not everyone can be taken onboard. There has been an attempt to place only those who have a chance of winning, which is the main consideration. It is based on tangible feedback,” said a leader.
So far, the Congress has been able to convince several rebels to stand down, including Kamal Kishore from Indora, Vijay Kumar and Rakesh Kumar from Dehra, Karan Parmar from Shahpur, Lal Singh Kaushal from Nachan, former minister Kuldeep Kumar from Chintputni, former MLA Dr Bheeru Ram Kishore from Jhandutta, Tilak Raj from Bilaspur, Shamsher Ali from Paonta Sahib and Sabla Ram Chauhan from Choupal.
Himachal Pradesh AICC election in-charge Rajiv Shukla stated the party is on the path to victory. “People are not realising it, but there is a wave in favour of the Congress. We have been able to convince 11 rebels, while the BJP has more than 20 rebels in the fray. It is clear the BJP is fighting among themselves, and they have no unity. The message on the ground is clear – the Congress is going to form the government,” Shukla said.
