A Testing Ground for Congress, BJP

By: Mar 11th, 2017 12:17 am

Bhoranj Bye-election

Himachal This Week

With the announcement of bye-election to Bhoranj assembly constituency announced, it will be a testing ground for both the ruling Congress and opposition BJP ahead of general assembly elections due later this year. The seat that fell vacant due to demise of BJP ID Dhiman will go to polls on April 9 next month. The bye-election provides a political opportunity for the BJP not only to retain its strong bastion but also to put up a formidable performance against the ruling party, political observers feel. ID Dhiman had won from here for six consecutive times. On the other hand, it will not be easy for the Congress to wrest this seat as ID Dhuman had nurtured this segment well. The bye-election will also be a political reply from Chief Minister to the BJP which has already dubbed the government as anti-Hamirpur.

The result will however not have any impact on the numbers but it will reflect strategy, character and internal permutations of both the parties. It looks easy for the BJP to field ID Dhiman’s son in the bye-election but the race for party ticket will be challenging one. It has been difficult for the Congress to select and groom the candidate but Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president also faces a challenge of fielding a winning candidate in his home district, political observers point out, adding that former chief minister would also want to stamp his authority in the party.

As a new combination has also surfaced within the BJP, there are likely to be questions over promoting dynasty politics. It can’t be said that the BJP will allocate ticket by ignoring dynasty but sympathy in favour of Dr. Anil Dhiman will also be a factor. Being viewed as a political maneuvering of Virbhadra, Prem Kumar Dhumal and Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, the bye-election provides a challenge to Congress to make history in Hamirpur to achieve its ‘Mission Repeat.

* Notification: March 14, 2017

* Last date of nomination March 21, 2017.

* Scrutiny of nominations: March 22

* Last date of withdrawal of nominations: March 24

* Polling: April 9

* Counting: April 13

* Election process would end on April 15, 2017

* Model code of conduct had come into force in Hamipur district.

* 75,719 voters including 37514 males and 38205 females

* 441 male and 295 female voters in the age group of 18-19 years

Control Room Numbers

* 0177-2621551 for general public

* 0177-2622721 for media

divyahimachal.com Opinion Poll

Will Congress Gain In Lower Areas After Granting Second Capital Status To Dharamshala?

Yes  –  49%

No  –  47%

Don’t Know  –  4%

Total Votes: 385


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