Confusion rules the rank and file in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Himachal Pradesh over the leadership issue as battle lines were drawn for Assembly polls in the hill state with last date of withdrawal of nominations over on Thursday.
While the Congress party has entered the poll fray with clarity and has declared six-time chief minister, Virbhadra Singh as its CM face, the BJP has not opened up on the leader so far.
Senior most BJP leader in HP, Shanta Kumar was the first non-Congress CM of the hill state, when he led the Party to power in 1977. He became CM for the second time in 1990.
However, 1998 onwards, senior leader, Prem Kumar Dhumal has been leading the BJP in polls. Four-time MLA in row, Dhumal became CM twice, in 1998 and 2007. This time, the BJP insiders said, the party high command has so far signalled its keenness on repeating the ‘model’ of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and some other states, where it fought without any CM face.
In all those states, where BJP won, the party went to the people with ‘Modi magic’ working in its favour.
“It is the Central Parliamentary Board’s decision to declare a CM face before polls or not. The BJP as a party goes to polls, not a particular leader. We have followed this strategy in many other states,” said Sambit Patra, national BJP spokesperson in Shimla.
In 2017 polls in HP, although to begin with, the BJP is advantaged by over three decade history of change every five years. What worries party leaders here is that ‘Modi magic’ may not be that strong now with growing criticism of Centre’s policies, especially demonetisation and GST.
As of now, Dhumal, who is also leader of Opposition and is popular leader, is in race for chief ministership third time, the name of Union health minister, JP Nadda, a three time MLA and former minister in HP, from Bilaspsur district is also doing the rounds for top chair in case BJP wrests power in HP—with talks of any third option also gaining ground.
“The high command may pick up its own choice. But the workers should be clear about the leadership to work with full energy in the poll battlefield,” said a senior state BJP office bearer. He shared that the issue has already taken it up at the party forum to convey that HP is a small state where people are connected to political leaders emotionally. “Our state cannot be compared with other states for many reasons,” he said.
BJP sources said the party’s strategy of high command reigning supreme even in ticket distribution has already spoilt the game in some constituencies, where candidates were handpicked against local recommendations. These candidates are now dependent either on senior leaders or on those, who deserved the ticket, for victory.