The curious case of AAP in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat -- strategy or compulsion?

Tribune News Service

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, November 8

BJP president JP Nadda recently took a swipe at the Aam Aadmi Party, 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 to reach out to voters, speculation is rife on reasons why the party has gone “missing” from the political landscape of Himachal Pradesh, unlike Gujarat where it is going all-guns blazing against the ruling BJP.  

Whatever its leaders say, the absence of the AAP from poll blitzkrieg is evident if reports from the poll-bound hillstate are any indication. A section believes that the AAP has “deliberately given up on” Himachal to “facilitate” the Congress and turn it into bipolar election. 

However, a prominent point of view is that AAP was finding it difficult to match the aggressive campaign of the BJP and the Congress in Himachal, unlike Gujarat where the Congress is mostly working “silently” in rural areas leaving the AAP to concentrate on the urban seats.

Given its close proximity to Punjab, AAP was perceived to have a good chance in Himachal as well. The announcement of the restoration of the old pension scheme by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was expected to become a major poll booster and woo government employees who 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 can chew. Also, people did not warm up to it,” said observers familiar with current political developments in the state.

Though the AAP has fielded candidates on most of the 68 seats, only some are making the buzz. “Largely, people are just seeing them as spoilers and vote cutters for the BJP and the Congress,” a reason perhaps the AAP leadership shifted focus to Gujarat “where it is getting better response while leaving Himachal candidates to their own devices,” the observers add.

Some of the most talked about AAP candidates include former MP Rajan Sushant from the Fatehpur seat, Manish Thakur in the Paonta Sahib constituency, former BJP leader Harmel Dhiman in Kasauli, former Congress leader Dharam Pal Chauhan in Solan and “India's youngest sarpanch” Jabna Chauhan. Otherwise, the Himachal election is mostly being viewed as a direct face-off between the BJP and the Congress.

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