Almost 'missing' in Himachal Pradesh, AAP trying to make inroads in Gujarat

Tribune News Service

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, November 7

BJP president JP Nadda recently took a swipe at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying it had “surrendered” in Himachal Pradesh as people had “seen through its poor governance in neighbouring Punjab and Delhi”.

While AAP leaders insist that its candidates are actively campaigning door to door, speculation is rife on why the party has gone “missing” from the political landscape of Himachal Pradesh unlike Gujarat where it has been campaigning hard.

A section believes AAP has “deliberately” given up on Himachal to “help” the Congress. A prominent viewpoint is that the party found it difficult to keep pace with the aggressive campaigning by the BJP and the Congress in Himachal. However, in Gujarat the Congress is working “silently” in rural areas, leaving AAP to concentrate on urban seats.

It was believed that AAP had a good chance in Himachal. The announcement on restoration of the old pension scheme (OPS) by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann was expected to be a major booster as government employees play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of electoral battles in the state. “However, the AAP leadership realised that it had bitten off more than it could chew. Also, people did not warm up to it,” said an observer. AAP has fielded candidates on most of the 68 seats. “Largely, people are seeing them as spoilers — a reason, perhaps, the AAP leadership shifted focus to Gujarat where it is getting a better response,” the observer added.

Among the AAP candidates creating some buzz are former MP Rajan Sushant (Fatehpur); Manish Thakur (Paonta Sahib); former BJP leader Harmel Dhiman (Kasauli); former Congress leader Dharam Pal Chauhan (Solan) and India’s “youngest” sarpanch Jabna Chauhan. Otherwise, the elections in Himachal are mostly being viewed as a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress.

AAP today announced the candidature of former Patidar quota leader Alpesh Kathiriya and 11 others for the Gujarat elections. This was AAP’s 11th list. It has so far declared 130 candidates.

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