Himachal Political Insights by BD Sharma

BD Sharma is Former Director of Himachal Pradesh Information and Public Relation Department

So many unusual happenings took place around us in last two three days which have invited attention of the people in last two three years Keeping all these asides as media is already engaged to arrange discussions on it. We will talk about the AAP which suffered a great set back as a result of defeat of its candidate in Sangrur Lok Sabha, in Punjab a home turf of Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Singh Maan, which was represented by him twice in a row in 2014 and 2019. It will be worth mentioning here that AAP had got massive mandate in the Vidhan Sabha Elections three months ago by winning more than 90 seats out of 117.
The result of the Sangrur is with a clear message to the upcoming party that State’s mainstream cannot be afforded to be ignored. The other message is that people cannot be taken for granted and they always vote with wisdom. They voted for AAP e month ago in Punjab because they were not happy with the ruling Congress and Shironani Akali Dal (Badal) due to their dismal performance during their regime in the past and have pinned hope in the new party, which has also disillusioned them during three months of governance. The budget presented in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha is an example of it as the promises made has hardly found place in the budget. Third, is the message that promising freebies at the cost of common man cannot befool the people all the time, which trick it has learnt from Delhi . In Delhi also its first time victory was due to the anti incumbency wave against the then ruling Congress and also they were not happy with the BJP, which had also failed to deliver the goods in the past during its regime
Coming to the point, In fact, the defeat of AAP in Punjab so soon indicates that there is disillusionment that has set in the State over the style of functioning of the Government in the State. People says that Punjab was being remote controlled from Delhi and the CM is a mere puppet, who had little time for governance but as busy with the campaigning along with AAP’s supreme, Arvind Kejriwal, in Himachal and Gujrat. Punjab is a sensitive State and it needs governance different from Delhi, which is Union Territory.
Therefore, it would be very essential for AAP to change this perception otherwise this can go against them in the long run. Kejriwal should keep in mind that to fulfill his national aspirations, individual politics approach and self promotion by spending huge amount on advertisements would not do. AAP’s equal distance from the ruling dispensation and the united opposition while filing nomination for the election of President of India amply speak about his politics of opportunism and cleverness
These days AAP focus is Himachal Pradesh where it has intensified its efforts after its victory in Punjab The party is trying to make inroads in the State politics on the modus operandie adopted in Punjab but there are little chances of its success for the reasons that in Himachal Pradesh from the office bearers made in the State, are movie in the politics. This has given message that in Himachal Pradesh AAP’s governance will be from remote controlled, which matured voters of the State will not allow I Kejriwal’s way of politics is to keep intelligent, experienced and those with clean image, at bay so that his will prevail all around. It is very difficult in Himachal Pradesh keeping in view its past history. Here Congress Party and the BJP have been ruling the State for last four decades alternatively. HVC a breakaway group of the Congress had definitely spoiled the chances of forming the Government of Congress Party in 1998 by joining hands with the BJP. One thing is there that in the ensuing elections in the State, AAP can spoil the chances of those candidates of the Congress and the BJP candidates both, who otherwise have chances to win with a close margin and can spoil the game of BJP to repeat the Government and the congress to wrest the power from the Congress. Both congress and BJP will have to adopt their strategy keeping in view this, to ensure the victory of their candidates.

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author