BJP fighting a grim electoral battle in Nalagarh

BANKING on Modi ‘ Chrishma’ and  his old association in the party , the candidate of   Bhartiya Janta Party- appeared to have been  fighting a grim electoral battle in a triangular contest  in Nalagarh assembly segment  in the  second phase of electioneering in Solan district .

What’s more jumping of rebel KL Thakur, former BJP MLA into the fray against BJP’s official candidate, Lakhwinder Rana, appeared to have been pushing BJP’s candidate and sitting MLA Lakhwinder Rana on slippery wicket in this assembly segment bordering Punjab and Haryana. Rana had joined the Congress after he was denied party ticket in 2017 after the death of HN Saini who was Town and Country Planning minister in PK Dhumal government. After this, the party ticket was allotted to K L Thakur who had won the election in 2012 but lost to Rana in 2017. Recently, Rana again joined BJP and central high command picked him up for current elections

 Here, the Congress’s poll managers queering the pitch to its arch rival by highlighting the issue of neglecting the development of the constituency by the present government out of political vendetta.  Bad condition of rural roads, lack of needed health and educational infrastructure,   lack of drinking and irrigation water schemes, slow industrial growth and others issues haunting the BJP candidate, here.

On the top of it, decision  of KL Thakur  to jump into fray against party’s official nominee further sending adverse signals amongst the electorates there by making the electoral battle tough and triangular  to BJP and pushing the Congress  on smooth sailing.

 Though the Congress, still appeared to be struggling hard to make the battle a tight rope walk to  the BJP  in current election campaign but the BJP too making its all out efforts to ensure its victory by launching the  door to door campaign.

 The BJP candidate, a  Lakhwinder Rana  who had stolen the march by  defeating  KL Thakur in 2017  in last assembly polls,  if making the electoral battle a tight rope walk for the Congress candidate, Congress too cornering its rival on various issues including inter party squabbles in BJP to push it on back seat.  Here, if the congress was highlighting the reported poor governance of the  Jai Ram government and inflation, the BJP too  focusing on  the massive development  and prime minister Narender Modi’s public mesmerism.

Faced with mounting pressure of their respective party high commands concerning winning the current election, the leaders of both the parties after focusing on election meetings have now chosen for door to door campaigning.

With the jumping of rebels into the fray, the leaders have started moving from heaven and earth to influence the electorates to capture the seat with good margin.

 Notably, the constituency has 90,988 voters out of which the number of male voters was 46,655 while the number of women voters was 44,329.

“We will show the door to Bhartiya Janta Party in current electoral battle as the people have fed up with the anti people policies of Modi government and  non governance of Jai Ram government including rising prices,” said Hardeep Baba, congress candidate.

The BJP candidate  appeared to have gained the strength from a massive campaign of big army of party leaders in certain pockets but the issue of overlooking the Changar belt, Nalagarh town  during the past five year appeared to have make the battle a tough cakewalk to  BJP candidate, here.   Congress’s Hardeep Baba, a green horn jumped into fray after Lakwinder quit the party and w joined the BJP, few months ago.

 However, the BJP rebel former BJP MLA KL Thakur seemed to have queering the pitch to Lakhwinder Rana as he has strong hold across the constituency.  

“Since the people are aware that highlighting the issue of soaring prices,  poor governance, lack of good road network, industrialization  and others by the opposition is nothing more than poll gimmicks, the voters will show the door to the congress this time,” said Rana.

The leaders said that poor condition of roads, inadequate health, educational and others facilities were the basic issues that have been overlooked by the Jai Ram government   government after assuming the power in the state.

Rana said, “up-gradation of over a schools, opening of tehsil and sub tehsil and up-gradation health centers along with strengthening of road network in villages by BJP government are the major achievements that will certainly help him in showing the door to rivals.”

“We have been continuously raising the issues concerning overlooking of the constituency by BJP government and the discriminatory approach of Jai Ram government towards segment. Besides the poor condition of Nalagarh – Sawarghat national highway and the time has come to show the door to corrupt and inefficient BJP government forms the state,” quipped Baba.  

 BJP Sloan district president Ashutosh Vaidya said, “The dream of the congress that has been ousted from power by people will never be full filled as the people are aware that who scrapped the central industrial package and stalled the development in the area during the Virbhadra Singh government’s regime.” 

KL Thakur said, “ever since the joining of politics, I never look back and remained in the constituency to address the grievances of the constituents by carrying out the developmental works in Nalgarh belt. This time, the people of the segment had forced him to jump into fray as an independent candidate after the BJP high command denied ticket and with the support of the people, he will win the seat”.