Elusive Amit Shah Leaves No Clues

Himachal This Week Team (cover story)

The BJP national president Amit Shah left everybody guessing after his two day visit to Palampur aimed at rejuvenating the party besides expanding its base in Himachal. Not only the leaders but political observers were also watching this event curiously as they expected BJP president to talk about its chief ministerial candidate for upcoming state general assembly elections due later this year. However, elusive Amit Shah left no clue whatsoever on different aspects. He minced no words in declaring that party has not yet decided about its CM face in Himachal, adding that party would field new candidates in assembly elections here to win three fourth seats. He focused on expanding party’s base besides targeting Himachal Chief Minister.  He gave a clarion call to the leaders and workers to fight elections unitedly and emerge victorious in this hilly state. He also highlighted the NDA government’s financial assistance and various projects to this hilly state while targeting Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Amit Shah’s Claims

* 14th Finance Commission will give Rs. 28,255 crore to Himachal

* NDA government enhanced disaster management grant from Rs. 640 crore to Rs 1174 crore

* Budget of local bodies increased from Rs. 642 crore to Rs. 2017 crore

* NDA government approved 61 national highways for  Himachal

* Himachal government could not prepare DPRs of national highways even as NDA government provided Rs. 229 crore for the purpose

CM Face Not Decided

Riding high on party’s success in the recently held assembly elections, the BJP national president Amit Shah categorically said that there would not be any fight on the leadership issue in Himachal. The party will take a decision at the right time but the work at hand presently is to win assembly elections in this hilly state with a massive mandate, he said while addressing media persons and also in party’s core group meeting.

Teaching a lesson of unity to party leaders and workers, Shah said that there should not be any lobbying on the issue. Sources said that BJP president also made it clear that new faces would be brought to the forefront to provide an opportunity to the next line of hierarchy in the party. Political observers point out that there has been an ongoing tussle within the BJP over the issue of its chief ministerial candidate. However, with Shah’s assertions the issue has been pushed to the backstage.

He held meeting with party leaders, workers and common people to take feedback while targeting Chief Minister and highlighting achievements of the Centre.

Anxiety Among Old War Horses In Himachal

Old and senior party leaders are likely to face anxious time ahead of assembly elections after Shah’s announcement to bring new faces to the forefront. Prospective candidates for the CM post are also baffled after his visit to Himachal that was aimed to expand party’s base ahead of upcoming elections. He has left the issue of leadership unsolved for the time being besides not ruling out the possibility of collectively contesting the assembly elections without projecting any face. It has happened in other states when the party won assembly election and installed a new face as CM. It has also given a clear message that no leader should take his ticket to contest election as granted.

No Discussion on Hill Problems

Even as the BJP national president invited participants in Prabudh Jan Sangoshthi to join the party, there was, however, no talk about hill problems and development of hilly areas. Amit Shah not only lauded Devbhoomi but also tried to impress the gathering by highlighting BJP’s history and opposition’s shortcomings. It was expected that views on hill problems and its development would be exchanged but that did not happen. However, he exhorted workers that party was supreme and that they should work to enhance its poll prospects by sinking all differences.

Dynasty Politics Dominates Congress

He also took a dig at the Congress by saying that it has been practicing dynasty politics whereas the BJP was a democratic party. “No body can tell who will be BJP president after me but everyone knows who will succeed Sonia Gandhi in Congress,” he added, highlighting Modi government’s liberal assistance to Himachal. He also termed this hilly state as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second home as he is well versed with problems faced by people here.

From Editor-in-Chief’s Desk

It is natural to describe Himachal as Veerrbhoomi on political platforms but its analysis is not so simple. Is state’s politics so straight and simple to find a solution from one type of politcking during next three decades even as the BJP tried to create political atmosphere in its own style? Politics in Himachal has its own aspects in which character of leaders and analysis of developmental possibilities will be tested. We have seen the fate of Ski Village project in Kullu valley. The BJP has to analyse as to how this sort of politics helped the state as the party devoid it of a big tourism project by raising the issue of deities. It is also known that certain leaders visit places known for tantras in the run up to elections in Himachal. Beauty of state’s society is that it takes poll promises seriously to believe the political parties. People are facing problems of stray cattle and monkey menace but political circles don’t understand this pain. One rank one pension and party standing with martyr families will go to the credit of Modi government and party’s national president Amit Shah claimed it in a meeting with intellectuals. What could have been the feeling when the BJP president was honouring Dr NK Kalia, father of Kargil’s first martyr Capt Saurabh Kalia? One needs to understand Himachal’s history of sacrifices as it has four PVC winners. However the state and its leaders are considered small in national politics. The politics remains busy in disturbed states while peaceful states suffer. World’s longest railway bridge will connect Kashmir valley with political fraternity but no land is available for Himachal’s Leh rail project. Himachal didn’t get any regiment even as Dogra Regiment has a long history of valour.  The country could not even aclnowledge that Wazir Ram Singh Pathania was the first martyr of the freedom struggle. No political stage can gauge the pain when a mutilated body of a martyr is brought back. Modi government will have to show in actions that the BJP brainstorming session at Palampur could understand state’s journey from a Devbhoomi to a Veerbhoomi.

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