SHIMLA:  Major (retd) Vijay Singh Mankotia, who has earned himself a reputation of an "Aya Ram Gya Ram of Congress", on Tuesday sprang a new surprise: He left Congress for the third time and joined BJP at the private house of BJP Chief Jagat Prakash Nadda in the presence of Harsh Mahajan, another senior Congress leader from Chamba, who had joined BJP earlier.

Not only this, another leader from Congress MLA from Gagret,  Una Rakesh Kalia, also joined BJP in the presence of BJP party incharge Avinash Khanna  after he was denied the Congress ticket.

"Major and Mahajan" joining BJP has raised   a "big political bubble,  not only within Congress, but also within BJP as well", that my burst both within or without the parties, say analysts. 

But there are critics who say that both "Mahajan and Mankotia are spent political bullets", who are not capable of firing any shot in the changed political scenario in Himachal politics now".  

BJP Chief Jagat Prakash Nadda has emerged stronger in HP politics, overshading the presence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Union IB Minister Anurag Singh Thakur ahead of HP Polls on November 12.    

Major Mankotia, a seasoned turncoat, has been lying low and has been inactive till recent times in politics after former Chief Minister late Virbhadra Singh dumped him and allotted ticket to his supporter Kewal Singh Pathania. 

There was a talk earlier that Major would lead AAP in polls 2022, but Arvind Kejriwal did not opt for him and instead choose to keep AAP a leaderless party in Himachal as he knew "maverick nature of flamboyant Fauji". 

Mankotia later harled allegations against AAP  and even went on to charge that the AAP in Punjab had  some Khalistani connections- an allegation that AAP termed as baseless. 

Mankotia had changed many parties- including BSP and contested elections many a time as an Independent, but lost most of the time.  He has left Congress for the third time. 

Congress leaders from Kangra termed his joining BJP after he was not considered by the Congress and AAP. He had no option  as he wanted to keep his "nuisance value" alive in electoral politics mainly in Shapur and parts of Kangra.

Mankotia had sought to contest from  Shapur, but he did not file nomination as an independent. But instead he  joined BJP.  

But there are his supporters who claim that Major would damage Congress in Shapur and may  tour around Kangra heaping criticism against Congress. 

"Major Saab may be an "Aya Ram and Gaya Ram of Shahpur", but he enjoys clean image and is still influential among ex-servicemen and Rajputs of Kangra", claim his supporters. 

Like Harsh Mahajan in Chamba, Major would dent the Congress vote banks that BJP has been trying to do sending out a strong message that senior Congress leaders in Himachal are on "Congress Chodo andolan, while Rahul Gandhi was talking about Bharat Jodo Yatra".  

"Nadda, Mahajan and Major"  troika is trying to  "undo the damage that absence of BJP Veteran and two times Chief Minister Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal in the poll arena in Hamirpur- Una and parts of Kangra is doing to the BJP", comment the analysts.

Exit of Prof from electoral politics  was in an unceremonious way. He had lost Sujanpur in 2017, but he was denied the party ticket this time that he had sought to "avenge the blot of defeat at the fag end of his political career". 

His son Anurag Singh Thakur, who is an MP from Hamirpur, was emotional and in tears, when he had addressed the public meetings in Hamirpur and Sujanpur last week.     

According to analysts, BJP chief Nadda in a shrewd move  has roped in two senior  Congress leaders-who hold oppositive view of Virbhadra Singh". 

Mahajan worked closely with Virbhadra Singh was a "close aide of Holly Lodge, the private residence of "Raja Virbhadra Singh" for over a decade.

On the other hand,  Mankotia had a "love or hate" kind of  relationship with Virbhadra Singh earlier, but he in  later years had launched war against  him after Virbhadra Singh cut him down to size.

Enraged by his treatment, Mankotia had  exploded the so-called audio CD in Dharamshala that had cost Congress dearly. 

BJP has roped in these two leaders to slam the Congress in a bid to  drive out "any impact of any sympathy wave" for Virbhadra Singh in the elections".   

BJP has provided chopper to Harsh Mahajan. He has been  lambasting Congress and new combination HP Congress   on the ground that "they have been promoting dynastic  politics"- a reason why, he had claimed, he left Congress. 

But his Congress critics flayed Harsh Mahajan for "his double standards" he was also a product of dynastic politics as he is a son of  veteran Congress leader,  who had been minister for long. 

As far as voters are concerned they are aware about brand of  "politics of  Mahajan" and "Mankotia".   

Harsh knows not only Chamba, but he had worked closely with Virbhadra Singh in both Arki and Shimla rural, where Vikramaditya Singh, is seeking reelection for the second time.   

Harsh had also worked closely with Virbhadra Singh in Kullu-Mandi when had contested Mandi Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and had won.   

BJP may try to cash in on "Mahajan's ability and manipulative skills" not only in Chamba, but also in most of segments, which had been 'karambhumi' of Virbhadra Singh, to checkmate Virbhadra Singh's "son and supporters", caution party workers. 

Interestingly Anurag Singh Thakur has not reacted to Mankotia's joining BJP nor did he comment much on Harsh Mahajan's joining BJP earlier. 

The coming days may spring more surprises.

Both BJP and Congress, the two main rivals would try to outsmart each  other creating a favourable pitch in their bid to capture power in the state.