HAMIRPUR (HP): Though not exactly of the magnitude of Narendra Modi’s road show in Varanshi , a similar-looking show was held by the member of Parliament Mr Anurag Thakur in Hamirpur on Friday last before filing his nomination but presence of the crowd indicates that there would not be change in the result this time also. Outspent and under siege in the present election climate in the State, the Congressional candidates scrambled to save embattled incumbents with expected BJP gains, Congress rushed to make inroads among the voters.
Even as it took quite a while to shake off the defeat in the last assembly elections as the BJP won 44 seats of the 68, the Congress fortunes seemed to have started sinking from the word go. Since 1996, the Hamirpur Parliamentary constituency has seen eight elections of which the BJP won seven. While talking to Prem Kumar Dhumal, at his home town Samirpur in district Hamirpur on Saturday told Punjab Newsline that the BJP not only win all the four Lok Sabha seats but the scale of victory would also be gratifying. In fact, Dhumal’s juggernaut would sweep the prospects of its rivals, feels Vijay Behl of Tauni Devi.
On the other, rejection of Virbhadra’s choice for the seat by the Central command has given rise to heartburn among congress workers. It is also found that his group has distanced itself from campaigning while the BJP has shown united face during the show of strength. Anurag is riding on Modi’s wave will give him and the party a leg-up.
It is also seen as last two-horse race between BJP’s Dhumal and Congress’s Virbhadra. The Congress is hoping to gain its lost ground, while BJP is looking forward to repeat the last Lok Sabha score. The BSP, which has projected itself as the third front, may not rise up to the desired expectations this time also. Moreover, Mayawati’s social engineering formula too will not work in the State, said Mr Behl a political leader of the area.
He further said that the caste divide was not very sharp in the constituency, comprising 17 assembly segments spread over four districts of Kangra (three), Bilaspur (four), Hamirpur (five) and Una (five). Both will go head-to-head in the prestigious seat of the state. The two major parties are face to face and gain of the BSP would be at the cost of Congress and the BJP failures. Fight between the two can be seen a close finish in district Una.
Congress threw its remaining resources into protecting its endangered prestige while BJP was forced to put all efforts into weak areas to repeat the score of last Lok Sabha election. The BJP would try to exploit the ‘infighting’ within the Congress. The Congress is once again hitting its rival with the whip of corruption. The BJP will claim that there has been a near revolution in health, education, water supply and road connectivity. The Congress will also raise the issue of ‘left without job’ and failure of BJP government on all front to give sleepless nights to the BJP. In election climate, while the congress will find difficult to convince people of its worthiness the BJP is all set to pick developments and welfare schemes of Modi’s government to woo voters to their side. Air strike went well among urban and rural people. They felt that Narendra Modi was competent to deal with Pakistan and China as well.
People opined that Anurag Thakur initiatives in health care services, sports and railway line from Una to Hamirpur would pay rich electoral dividends. Even off the records Congressmen admitted that he has imbibed good rapport with women and youth of the constituency.