Y.S. RANA , HAMIRPUR : With the filing of nominations, the air is laden with a fresh spirit give rise to another set of assumptions. All major contenders, belonging to the BJP and the Congress, have been in power at one time or another in the past. Both the parties have come out with promises to various segments along with their own brand of politics.
At present, it would be hard to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes, for whether it is the people of the state or the politicians, all seem to be well aware that intentions, actions and decision are driven by a sole objective—the Assembly polls.
Scheduled for November 4, it is time for some warming-up sessions for political parties. While the ruling party is putting itself together to take a plunge, the Congress too is fitting into the election gear. For the warfare among BJP and Congress, mudslinging and personal attacks make just the apt weapons and local issues like roads, water scarcity, un-employment, schools and health care take the back seat. Dhumal and Virbhadra are missing no chance to hit each other below the belt.
Chief Minister Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, on his part, for the past five months or so, is continuously touring the state to reach out to rural BJP workers trying to infuse a new life in its cadre. From time to time, he takes on the Congress for its anti-government propaganda. Each of the two parties is trying to play all the cards in hand to convince the voter in its favour. Voter is busy working out the national and local issues and then weighing the parties on the scale.
The main worry for both the parties is nearly two dozen rebels including some former ministers and MLAs are ready to fire on their own parties. They are drawing their own fire ranges. From BJP like Radha Raman Shastri, Shyama Sharma, Meheshwar Singh, Dulo Ram, Khushi Ram Balnahta, Naveen Dhiman, Babu Ram Mandyal, Rakesh Pathania, Rajinder Rana pitted themselves against official candidates in Shimla, Nahan, Kullu, Palampur, Kasumpti, Jaswan Pragpur, Nadaun. Nurpur and Sujanpur.
In the Congress camp the situation of ‘jilted’ members is marginally better. Former congress minister Singhi Ram and Prem Lata Thakur, the wife of former Congress minister Sat Prakash Thakur, Tilak Raj Sharma and Harbhajan Bhaijji are contesting as independents from Rampur, Kullu, Shimla and Bilaspur.
According to official sources a record 955 nominations have been filed by 600-odd candidates. Some candidates have filed more than one set of nominations for the 68-member House.
With the advent of social media especially among the urban middle class in the elections has started worrying the Congress about its impact. With corruption becoming the buzzword on social networking sites, the party is concerned about its fallout.
Given the present scenario when Virbhadra’s past was tense, present is indefinite and future may be uncertain, the weighing scale seems to be tilting in favour of ‘younger’ Dhumal than ‘older’ Virbhadra.