All guesswork ended today when BJP announced senior leader and ex-CM, Prem Kumar Dhumal, 63, as the candidate for the Chief Minister’s chair in Himachal Pradesh. The surprise decision was taken by party’s Parliamentary Board in presence of both Dhumal, who is the party’s sitting MP from Hamirpur, and veteran leader Shanta Kumar who was also in the race for the top post.
Dhumal was the CM of the state from March 1998 to March 2003. Then, he served as the Leader of Opposition before winning parliamentary by-poll elections by defeating Congress candidate Ram Lal Thakur by over 80,000 votes in 2007. However, it was not the first time he served as a parliamentarian as he was a member of the August House in 1989 and 1991.
While talking to press, Dhumal was very confident that BJP will come into power with comfortable majority of votes and added that he will work with full cooperation and guidance from Kumar.
However, the party has started working hard and will release its election manifesto in this week. BJP’s five top leaders will visit the state formally to kick off poll campaign; party’s President Rajnath Singh will address a poll meeting at Solan, L K Advani will address a rally in Kullu district, Sushma Swaraj in Dharamsala, Murli Manohar Joshi in Chopal while Venkaiah Naidu will address a poll rally in Hamirpur for the second stage of assembly elections on 5th, December.
This decision of the top post by BJP might disappoint the people of Kangra and Shanta’s supporters.
Raised in Shimla and originally from Mandi district, Disha wears many caps which includes being part of a lead team of a fast growing IT company based out of Chandigarh. Earlier Disha was associated with My Himachal and visits Shimla regularly.
BJP is going blind for the sake of money and power. They made a fool of themselves in South for their greed to grab power at any cost even if they were treated shabbily. Now it is obvious what they prefer in HP – Power over Values, Greed over Principles. The Leadership of ABV and LKA has gone into oblivion and nonsense is takeing over the sense.
BJP leadership kneed down under the pressure of Narendra Modi and Venkhiya Naidu. Modi is responsible of splitting BJP in Himachal and Naidu is annoyed with Shanta Kumar because later after taking the charge of Union Rural Development Ministry, started probe on mishandling of funds during Naidu’s call in ministry.
Party known for its values and principals has lost every thing and leadership gone in corrupt hands.
By going in for a poll after having decided the leadership issue rather not declaring one before the final count, may actually benefit the BJP.
Leaving the leadership issue open till end of the poll could have let to undercutting by both groups, and may have marred the party’s chances more than what damage could possible come now.
With the party having taken a stand on the leadership, now only one group will undercut and not both.
A large section of BJP who held Shanta Kumar as the best choice may be disappointed with the decision, but I still maintain that deciding the leadership issue also give the electorate a clear choice as to who they are voting for.
This is the closest that Indian parliamentary system of democracy can come to a American Presidential form of election system.
On the other hand though congress has not declared its chief ministerial candidate but the choice of Virbhadra Singh is obvious for the grand old party of India.
BJP has done a right thing in bringing PK Dhumal to the forefront in hp politics. those who say that this is not the right choice donot understand the ground reality. they should come out openly by giving their names on the website rather than mentioning them as AK and VJ. people of the state understand who is the real leader and who fought for them during last five years. BJp will come to power and this is writen on the wall.
PREM SHARMA
@Prem
Dear Prem, This is the only platform where you have got the absolute freedom to express your mind. We are no one to ask for details of people. Even true intellectual have their personal biases and political affiliations. It is a work for Fascist to trace and punish the freedom of expression. Please never mind, that is the true spirit of this type of media.
Rakesh:
Pls ponder over what you have written in response to Prem:
“This is the only platform where you have got the absolute freedom to express your mind.”
Does Prem have the absolute freedom to express his mind and ask questions? You yourself have said it aptly ” It is a work for Fascist to trace and punish the freedom of expression.” On one hand, you are tooting the freedom of expression bugle but on the other hand, you don’t want Prem to say what’s on his mind. What gives?
@ Sukhdev,
You are absolutely right. I might have done the same in some terms but after all we are here to share opinions. What I really wanted to convey was about the disclosure of identity as pointed by Prem. People are so frightened in Himachal that they fear intensely from the politicians. It was only in that context, I used the word Fascist. It can be taken differently by different people but the tone of the language was very clear.
Mr. Prem, you have your own opinions based on your priorities and principals, and so we have our own. Please don’t expect others to be same as you.
VJ = Vijay!! makes sense ?? or need address as well ?
and one suggestion.. please don’t write any thing in wall otherwise election commission will take serious note of that 🙂 just kidding… pls dnt mind…
Rakesh, thx for clearing it up.
Dhumal is progressive man in the history of Himachal , as we have observed in the past , but we should not forget the policy man of Himachal, Shanta Kumar , without Shanta Kumar’s support it is impossible to Clear majority in the state , It may affect at least 25 seats in Himachal may be lost , win margin , Shanta Kumar has to boost up his workers.
All Shanta supporters must protest against the injustice done to Himachal and its veteran leader. As a protest, supporters should remain away from election campaign and voting.
We are hopeful that Shanta Kumar will never accept a defeat and will come up with an innovative idea to fight with all these odds.
Shanta is a man of principles with no match in the state. This is acknowledged even by the people affiliated to congress. But politics is something different from idealism. It is an opportunity to have first control over resources in any underdeveloped country, where idealism had to be sacrificed. Though it is frustrating to society but we have to live with it.
Dhumal is tagged as an easily accessible chief minister, which is the only point that makes a difference, though he will continue to forgive top guns involved in scams as earlier. That is perhaps a common minimum understanding level of today’s most politicians. It is still better for Shanta supporters to back Dhumal, otherwise it will again benefit its opponent as in the last elections. Congress is very happy about this divide as usual as with the caste and religious divide in the country that benefited for over fifty years.
I don’t think Shanta is not easily accessible. You can easily reach to him without much efforts but he will never compromise with his principals. If you are going for public welfare then you are always welcome in his door. But if you are going for your personal work then you will surely feel that he is not accessible at all.
How many people actually go and meet a Chief Minister? I am sure the answer will be “very fewâ€. These few people are always directly or indirectly connected to ruling politicians. So, I don’t understand how accessibility is helping a common man. People who can access leaders for their personal work are getting jobs for themselves and their relatives.
Rather than helping poor and common people, it’s spoiling their chances.
What is more important? Accessibility to a Chief Minister or policies like Antyodaya; Swajaldhara; No work No Pay; free food for poor; water to all; electricity to all; removing the corruption from government offices?
– Any one can be an easily accessible but not every one can be a good policy maker.
– Any politician can become corrupt but not every one can remain a clean image non corrupt for a carrier of more than 50 years.
@ VJ
You are absolutely right. There is no question about the popularity of Shanta Kumar and his reach to common man. He is among the few good leaders that we have in India. But the politics is all about managing things in Delhi by people who even do not know abc of Himachal. It is a hard reality but unfortunate.
Now people having affiliations with BJP must understand that this is not a battle between Dhumal and Shanta. They can benefit from their party and ideology if united for at least one month. Otherwise, they have enough time afterwards for leg pulling while in opposition.
If people consider it as prestige issue between two closest districts, as I observe, then only God can save such narrow mindedness and no one else.
Rivesh, I am 100% agree. It’s very painful to go against the ideology and party, which some one has followed for years. Same we can see with Shanta Kumar and his men. They are getting humiliated since more than 10 years with in the party but still party is supreme for them. People can’t go against the ideology but can remain away for some time. And that’s what the party want….
There is no point of district affiliation.
BJP IS A DIVIDED HOUSE. ONE WHO IS INSECURE CAN’T DO ANYTHING FOR PEOPLR. LOOK AT THE SCENARIO, CANDIDATES FOR PM, VAJPAYEE JI, ADVANI JI, RAJNATH SINGH, NARENDRA MODI, ( ONE UNEXPECTED NOMINEE OF SANGH PARIVAR). ITS VERY EVIDENT THAT THIS PARTY IS BRITTLE AND LACKS CONCENSUS WHICH HAS RESULTED IN ITS DOWNFALL.
AT LEAST THERE ARE CANDIDATES AVAILABLE.
IN CONGRESS, NO ONE DARES TO CHALLENGE THE KING
AND
AT CENTER NO ONE CAN SEE BEYOND NEHRU PARIVAR.
THANK GOD YOU DID’T REMIND ME OF DICTATORSHIP IN PAKISTAN.
That is perhaps the only comparable situation to some and stay contented. NICE!
@ Anshul:
Irony of the time we are living in. In Pakistan, Begum Benazir Butto and Miyan Nawaz Sharif are brought back even after every one is aware of their corruption charges, Bangladesh a mess, Mayanmar is country in turmoil, a funny side, Generals dont allow motorcycles there because they fear easy assasinations. Afghanistan we all know where it stands. Whole South Asia is in political turmoil. Sonia always refused to come to power and I am sure a lady who lost husband and mother-in-law is well aware of cronies of Congress. I wish you can recall how she was pursuaded by old congress stalwarts when they saw their fort crumbling….for them making wealth and power is more than anything and they are aware that winning public likeability is not their cup of tea. Issues we are dealing in these closely watched world are more than regional but their root cause is deep into our society and it needs to be introspected deeply and as whole…
@ Avnish:
If we want ourselves to be happy, the best way is to compare with worst cases. It was also a Gandhian philosophy, off course in some other sense.
I do not have any doubts about Ms Sonia Gandhi. I had seen all the drama that happened when congress did not find any leader in the country. It was only in that context, I had posted my comment.
I had a misconception up to a few years back that rich leaders having too much ancestral properties are the most honest. Now, it has vanished all together. Collection of money for staying in power, increasing the richness of kiths and kins are some of the hard realities that are visibly seen everywhere. Perhaps we have customized it and no one raises a voice against it.
“In an underdeveloped country where the future is highly uncertain and insecure the degree of corruption is likely to increase in geometric progression with economic status for sustaining at least the achieved levels for generations”. This is what I have generalized about today’s politics and politicians, who does it all in the guise of social service. Possibilities for honest and idealist people entering politics are negligible in a democratic set up grown on many contradictions.