With the Himachal state assembly elections already in process, people of the state are unhappy with the role of the Congress and the BJP both for not announcing the names of their leaders who will lead the party in the assembly elections.
The BSP has already taken a lead in this respect by naming Major Vijay Singh Mankotia as its leader and future chief minister in case the party comes to power in state. The party has been contesting the elections on its own on all the sixty-eight seats fully knowing that it has no chance to form the government on its own.
However, both the major parties, the BJP and the Congress have yet not made their options clear on this issue. Congress is in power in the state with Mr. Vir Bhadra Singh as the chief minister. However, a section of Congress persons are opposed to him and are projecting Mrs. Vidya Stokes, the state Power Minister as the future chief minister of party. Mrs. Stokes is a powerful minister and has close links with Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, the All India Supremo of the Congress. And perhaps this is the main reason that R.K.Dhawan, the party in charge for the state affairs has once again clarified that it will not project any one as the future chief minister of the state.
The BJP is also facing the same situation. The party leadership has yet not named its leader despite repeated demands by the workers and district/mandal level leaders. These persons are of the view that the party can win the seats hands down once a leader is projected.
The party is in a dilemma over the choice for the leader. Two former chief ministers, Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar are the obvious choice for this coveted post. However, the party high command is yet to make a final choice between them.
Prof. Dhumal has proved his hold in the state by winning the bye election to Hamirpur Lok sabha seat by 80,059 votes and leading in fifteen out of seventeen assembly segments of the Hamirpur Lok sabha seat at a time when the BJP was losing all such elections from where the previous BJP MP was unseated on the issue of cash for query scam issue.
Insiders in the party told this reporter that a lobby in the party is opposed to the idea of naming the leader before elections. This group feels that the time has come when all leaders and workers should work unitedly and once the new house is elected, the issue of leadership is decided.
However, the grass root workers of the BJP are highly upset and annoyed with the party leadership for not taking timely decision on this issue.
People of Himachal are very peaceful. However being a land of Gods, people do believe firmly in God and also karma. Even time has shown that those who went against Himachal’s causes got rooted out. But this time both the parties are playing with Himachal and its causes. Every one knows factionalism is ripe in both parties. In fact when I was talking to one group of congress people, they just don’t want to see eye to eye each other. Same is true for BJP, however there is one advantage for BJP. They do have some good leaders. No matter Dhumal or Shanta, even if they also fight, then third front is also rising in Jai Ram Thakur. However VirBhadra Singh’s main team in Sat Mahajan, Kuldeep Kumar and Ram Lal Thakur is already in shambles. Thakur lost parliament elections and best he can do is win his own seat, but has no star power. Sat mahajan is retired. Kuldeep Kumar is also not a state leader. Harsh Mahajan already gave up and was mobbed by his own people today in Shimla and people confronted him for his decision not to fight elections. On the other hand at any cost Stokes camp is not ready for Vir Bhadra Singh as next CM, however I have doubt that even of Congress comes to power then Singh would be CM, first he has lost his major stalwarts and next is his bad health. However other than Stokes and Singh there is hardly any leader in Congress. All are marginalized by present ruler. Thakur Kaul Singh tried to come in front but he seems to be nowhere these days.
And to BJP’s advantage, Dhumal and Jai Ram both are in good speed and in fact quite energetic leaders. The way HP is progressing, state needs a strong leader so that a strong command could be kept on bureaucracy so that Himachal’s interests are upheld. The way industrialization is happening now in Himachal and would happen in future, a highly experienced leader with clear vision is required so that he can steer the state towards a debt free and educated path. Discontent from both cadres is understandable. Every time big parties loose to realize that its voters who matter, in fact party people on grass root who really make the party win. They are the ones who work day and night with strong zeal! However leaders when risen and with deep pockets hardly care for people, they just want to fight for personal egos and individuals goals. Himachal needs to find a leader who is hard working and has strength to make decisions which are in favor of state and its people rather than few industrial houses.
sounds like an advertisement given by one political party (particularly by one group). I really suspect if people want this or reporter want this.