V from the ‘All Gun Blazing’ campaign of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by its star campaigner PM Narendra Modi Congress for Banking anti incumbencyWith the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) almost silent, the Himachal election heat has almost cut off the snowy peaks of the hill state.
With nearly 56 lakh Himachalis voting on Saturday, the ball is now in their court whether they opt for continuation or go beyond “tradition”,
According to Election According to the commission, a total of 55.92 lakh voters will decide the fate of 412 candidates, including 38 women candidates for 68 assembly constituencies. Counting of votes will take place on December 8.
Prominent leaders whose political fortunes are at stake include: CM Jai Ram Thakur and his 10 cabinet ministers, Assembly Speaker Vipin Parmar, CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri and Congress campaign committee chairman Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. Despite a good start, the AAP seems to have lost its stamina through the campaign, making it a two-sided battle for the hill state.
‘Vote-catcher, star campaigner’
high-decibel BJP Campaign PM Modi addressed election rallies in all major cities of the state.
The period of last 25 years is important. Rapid growth and stable is important in these years of Amritkal. To be healthy, parents-be and everyone understand this very well. pic.twitter.com/6JiAGv3T19
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 5 November 2022
The campaign was marked with several personal initiatives of the PM – from distribution of letters written and signed by him to every household in Himachal to reports of a rebel candidate being called by him to stop him from contesting elections. “He was clearly the face of the campaign. The double engine slogan apparently put him in a vortex,” admitted a senior leader.
Read also | ‘Chaturli’ Hills will soon choose its star: Women with BJP, Karamchari with Congress? Himachal Ground Report
Though top state leaders such as party president JP Nadda and Union minister Anurag Thakur also campaigned aggressively, it was clear who was the ‘vote-catcher’ for the party. The BJP was troubled by the presence of a large number of rebels in the Kullu Mandi area. Mandi is the home district of the Chief Minister.
The BJP may suffer losses from former MP Kirpal Parmar, who contested from Fatehpur seat, Vipin Nehria, former MLA from Dharamsala, Tejwant Negi, former MLA from Kinnaur and Hoshiar Singh, who joined the BJP after winning the 2017 assembly elections as an independent from Dehra. He was denied ticket and is contesting as an independent. But the party is hoping that reducing the number of sitting MLAs can help it deal with the anti-incumbency wave.
rebel factor
The Congress is also facing a challenge from the rebels. Prominent Congress rebels who contested the elections include former minister Gangu Ram Musafir from Pachhar, former MLA from Chaupal Subhash Mangalet and former MLA from Sulla Jagjivan Pal. The party’s campaign was mostly handled by local leaders, including state unit chief Pratibha Singh, wife of former CM Virbhadra Singh, although some rallies by Priyanka Gandhi gave some boost to the campaign. Rahul Gandhi The India pair stayed away from the expedition due to travel.
Congress tried to use Old Pension Scheme (OPS) issue during campaign lure critical staffWhile also raising the issue of price hike.
Read also | Independence Day in Kangra? Poll arithmetic may worsen in Himachal in the midst of BJP-Congress fight
The BJP countered this with the slogan of a dual-engine government, hoping to capitalize on the development projects launched by its government. The party is also expected to get support from a significant female electorate.
Live: @priyankagandhi G Nagrota addresses a public meeting at Bagwan, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh #Congress_Sang_Kangra https://t.co/26AiGf6KXM
– Congress (@INCIndia) 4 November 2022
snow a concern
In the 2017 elections, the BJP had won 44 seats, the Congress 21, the CPM one and two independents. The turnout in the 2017 elections was 76 percent.
Read also | ‘Caps’ lock key is: In Himachal, gray and green stand for Virbhadra, Maroon for Dhumal
The fear of low turnout due to bad weather and snowfall in the higher reaches of Lahaul-Spiti is worrying the election department as well as the candidates. Internal connectivity routes have been blocked in Lahaul Spiti. Polling officials were looking for ways to reach polling areas inaccessible by snow.
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