SHIMLA: New politics of “Freebies, Desh Bhakti, Corruption-Mukti” has triggered a new game of power struggle in Himachal Pradesh, ahead of Aam Aadmi Party Supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s Chambi Shahpur rally on Saturday April 23. It is set to chart a new course for the state assembly elections expected in few months time this year.
In a swift move to outsmart “Kejriwal’s Chambi show, BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda teamed up with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today and staged the roadshow in Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra to gear up the party’s Karyakarta for BJP’s “mission repeat” in the Kangra region.
The political show was crash-programmed in view of the Chambi rally, though Nadda was in Kangra to attend a marriage of his relative as well.
Even as the rally was over, Nadda along with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur have chosen to camp in Dharamsala to keep a vigil on the Kejriwal show in Chambi. They have planned another series of the meetings tomorrow, say party workers.
BJP and Congress’ “fears” are real. AAP claims many “disgruntled Congress and BJP workers would join the party at Chambi to make a bid from Kangra, biggest district, which is a new hot bed for politics in Himachal, for the coming state assembly polls this year”.
Freebies, Desh Bhakti and Corruption-Mukti
It was because of these “fears of new political algo rhythm that AAP has sent into motion in Delhi, Punjab and now in Himachal. BJP and Congress fear that it can trigger exodus of poor, Dalits and OBCs of Kangra region to AAP.
New game comprises of “freebies of Muft Bijli, Muft Har Ghar Ko Jal, new Desh Bhakti and Corruption-Mukti for all, mainly Dalits and poor ”. On Himachal Day Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced Muft Bijli, Muft Jal in Dehati Himachal from July 1 soon after Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann did it in his state. Freebies were started by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi.
It is not only that Nadda and Thakur, who are doubly Vigilant to keep their “Double Engine” running in Kangra and Himachal”.
Congress on High Alert as Pratibha Singh Camps in Kangra
Even Congress is on high alert as well. It is learnt that Mandi Lok Sabha MP and Congress senior leader Pratibha Singh, wife of former Chief Minister, late Virbhadra Singh, also views herself in “new role” ahead of the state assembly elections.
Pratibha Singh along with Pro-Virbhdra group are also camping in Kangra to keep “their fort or group intact”. They are trying to prevent “feared exodus of party’s disgruntled Netas and Karyakartas” to AAP tomorrow. 
What is worrying both BJP and Congress is that Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodiya had claimed that over 1000 people from BJP and Congress would join AAP in Himachal in days to come.
Major Severes Ties with Congress, Wants Driving Seat if He has to Join AAP
For one thing, senior-most Congress octogenarian leader Major Vijay Singh Mankotia has already severed ties with the Congress. He is also in “good books of AAP”. Major can be a big Game Changer for AAP as he is the “tallest and most respected leader from Kangra”, who can lead the party at elections.
But Major wants a driving seat from the start of the AAP road show in Chambi before riding the Kejrival bandwagon in Himachal. Major wants tickets for his group and himself as Chief Ministerial candidate in Himachal.
Major has already bombed some uneasy queries on Arvind Kejriwal to seek answer yesterday at his hometown.He has sought clarifications on some “key issues” that can embarrass Kejriwal.
Major has sought one to one meeting with Kejriwal before he and his group could think of joining the AAP on April 23 or after. But Major's "straight blunt talk" has put a question mark on his fate.
So is the case with another senior Congress leader from Kangra Sudhir Sharma, who has been silent for months, said the insiders.
Nadda and Jai Ram Thakur Road Show in Kangra
Though Congress is trying to secure its fort, Nadda staged road show in Nagrota to secure BJP’ non-saffron fortress in Kangra region- netas who feel ignored or sidelined in the present setup.
Addressing the party workers after the road show at Nagrota , Nadda, however, tactfully just ignored the “presence of AAP show in Kangra”, he instead targeted Congress charging that the Congress ignored interests of Himachal.
Nadda went on to say that Himachal witnessed a lot of development under former Chief Ministers Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal. Both the former Chief ministers were conspicuous by their absence at the road show and public meeting Nadda and Thakur addressed at Nagrota .
Nadda said the Double Engine government of the BJP at the state under Jai Ram Thakur and the Centre under Prime Minister Narender Modi has changed the picture of the state. The government has improved the living condition for poor people, by providing better health services, roads and connectivity, he claimed.
Keeping Shimla municipal polls in mind, Nadda reiterated that Shimla and Dharamshala smart city mission has taken off and have got assistance worth Rs 500 crore. The state has to give Rs 50 crore and rest of the funds were provided by the Centre, he added.
He said the parking lots worth 900 vehicles are underway in Shimla apart from execution of other several smart city projects in both the towns.
Urging the rally crowd to support BJP in its mission repeat bid, Nadda patted the back of Jai Ram Thakur saying that a road length of 6148 km has been constructed during his tenure. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee started PM Gramin Sarak Yojna that linked rural India to mainstream.
All the citizens have got health cover under HIMCARE and Ayushman Bharat health insurance schemes, Nadda said. Each section has got attention of the Present government which provided “Har Ghar Ko Gas Ka Chullah, and Nal”, he claimed.
On the other hand Jai Ram Thakur said the state government launched welfare schemes for each section of under- privileged, women, youth, senior citizens, farmers and the like. Lakhs of people have benefitted from social welfare schemes, he added.
Thakur said they provided responsible governance and accountable government to the people.
Sukhu in Shimla Seeks Transparency in Public Life
On the other hand, former State Congress President Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who is also claimant for the top post in case Congress romps back to power in 2022, chose to be in Shimla today. He along Shimla party workers and his supporters were present and hold press conference here.
Sukhu said leadership issue would be decided by High Command, but the Congress would fight the elections as a team.
He attacked Jai Ram Thakur charging that people of the state still donot know as to who actually ran the government- Delhi Darbar or Jai Ram Thakur, He himself could not do things he wanted to do.
Sukhu said the price rise has broken the back of common man and Jai Ram failed on all fronts for the last more than four years. The lakhs of unemployed youth have no hope from the BJP, so is the case with the farmers and employees, he said.
Sukhu sought Transparency on the part of the MLAs and accountability for each work in public life. “We will bring in Transparency Act and would ensure that people get good corruption-Mukt governance”, he asserted.
By all means Chambi show would tell the which course the game of politics takes in the Kangra region, a new hotbed of the 2022 state assembly elections, and in the state as a whole, said the analysts. The million dollar question is: Will AAP Break BJP or Congress to Make Itself or Will it take along AAM Aadmi to increase its cadre in Himachal Pradesh.
