As you walk down Ridge from Sanjauli Chowk in Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla, you will be greeted by a number of hoardings of Congress’ Harish Janartha and BJP’s Sanjay Sood, besides banners, advertisements, and flags of political parties clogging the view of the picturesque topography.

The buzz of a political meeting nearby, a blaring speaker system doing the rounds of the streets in a last-ditch effort to woo voters, and dedicated political workers distributing pamphlets is a common sight here.

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The prized capital seat has been witnessing a triangular contest between Congress, BJP, and CPI (M) since 1985. It, however, remained BJP’s bastion since 1967 when the seat came into being. The saffron party lost the seat only thrice in history, in 1985 to Congress, in 1993 to CPI (M), and in 2003 again to Congress. In 1977, the seat went to the Janata Party, of which Bhartiya Jan Sangh (BJS) was a part.

Virbhadra’s loyalist Harish Janartha is contesting his third straight state poll from Shimla. Though he remained unsuccessful in previous outings, the margins have been lower with 628 votes in 2012 and 1,903 in 2017 when he contested as an Independent.

Sanjay Sood, who is hard selling his image of a humble tea seller of the Old Bus Stand, though is a crorepati, got the ticket, as the saffron party shifted four-time MLA and Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj to the neighbouring Kasumpti constituency.

With a few days left for the voting, polarisation on the lines of Pahadi Vs non-Pahadi (people from mountains Vs people from plains) and Upper Himachalis Vs Lower Himachalis is visible.

Sanjay Sood comes from the traders’ community which has shops in prominent areas of the state capital including Ridge, mid-bazaar, and lower-bazaar. The community migrated from the plains and started settling down in Shimla in the 19th century.

A staunch supporter of the saffron party, the Sood community is consolidating behind the BJP candidate. “Sanjay Sood is a prominent face in Shimla and knows to most of us. Whereas Janartha was missing for the last five years,” said a shop owner on the Mall Road, who hails from the Sood community. On the other hand, Janartha is from a Pahadi community, which has more votes in the constituency and has roots in upper Himachal.

The polarisation on the lines of Pahadi and non-Pahadi is helping both the candidates in pulling votes. But if the polarisation is complete, it will give Janartha an edge this time. However, both Janartha and Sood have denied any attempt to polarise voters, but have issued statements blaming each other for dividing the people on the basis community.

Janartha, in a Facebook message, said, “I am sad at BJP’s campaign of creating a gulf between the communities. Different communities have settled in Shimla, and brotherhood and family relations have developed among them.”

“Virbhadra Singh (former CM) used to say that the BJP resorts to divide-and-rule policy by creating a rift between those belonging to upper areas and lower areas. But we stand by all,” he added.

Sanjay Sood retorted him, saying, “It has been the tradition of Congress to do politics of regionalism. But people of Shimla are aware of their tactics and as a result, the BJP has been winning the seat consecutively for the last 15 years.”

The BJP is also facing an undercurrent of resentment over the National Green Tribunal (NGT) judgment declaring Shimla Draft Development Plan illegal. Sood said that the party would challenge the NGT order before a superior court while Congress is terming it as the government’s failure.

Sood is relying on the incumbent BJP Government’s developmental works in the last five years, while Janartha is invoking the name of Virbhadra Singh.

Meanwhile, in the melee of polarisation, CPI(M)’s Tikendar Panwar is offering green agenda. He has promised for phasing out polluting vehicles, building a green fleet, cleaning up water bodies, and creating cycling tracks and pedestrian paths.