Why BJP is sure to win Himachal polls notwithstanding late announcement of CM candidate
, ET Bureau|
Nov 05, 2017, 12.00 AM IST
Prem Kumar Dhumal is not perturbed about the late announcement of his name as the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate for Himachal Pradesh by party president Amit Shah at an election rally near Dharamsala earlier this week. “It’s not in my hands. It is for the party high command to make the announcement at the right place and right time,” Dhumal told ET Magazine in an exclusive interview.
What Dhumal does have in his control are what he reckons are the right issues on which to fight the elections: corruption, law-and-order situation and the complete halt of government work under the present state government under Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
“The state is in a terrible financial state and, if we are elected, it will take us some time to bring it back on the rails,” the two-time former CM said.
In its vision document for Himachal Pradesh released last weekend, the BJP had announced that the Central government would take up the issue of doubling the exemption limit under the goods and services tax (GST) to Rs 20 lakh in the state (the limit in hilly states is Rs 10 lakh). “Many traders in Himachal who are our supporters have asked us to raise the threshold. The government has already allowed taxpayers with Rs 1.5 crore annual turnover to file quarterly returns instead of monthly and increased the threshold for composition scheme to Rs 1 crore from Rs 75 lakh,” Dhumal said.
Meanwhile JP Nadda, Union minister for health and family welfare and a Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh, who was till last week seen as a contender for BJP’s CM face in the state, told ET Magazine that he was happy to remain in Delhi.
“We are contesting these elections to save and maintain the dignity and pride of Devbhumi or Himachal Pradesh. We are all witness to the ruin of the law and order system, a steady rise in corruption and a decline in development in the state under the Congress government in the last five years,” said Nadda, who has been extensively campaigning in the state. He pointed out that many of the local issues that the incumbent Congress government failed to deliver on — including corruption, law and order, development and growth, employment opportunities and drug abuse by the youth — are being specifically addressed by his party.
That Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed that Himachal Pradesh holds a special place in his heart will give a significant advantage to the BJP, according to the health minister. “In HP, the agenda is development, growth, delivery of services, skill development, growth of tourism and employment opportunities along with a sharper focus on social sector, including health and education.”
Anurag Thakur, BJP MP from Himachal’s Hamirpur and son of Dhumal, has been campaigning across his constituency for the last couple of weeks and feels confident that his party will register a victory with over 50 seats in the 68-member assembly.
“Whenever the prime minister has visited Himachal, he has given something to the state — an AIIMS, an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) and a steel processing plant.”
The PM has expressed his special bond with HP in many ways, often sporting traditional Himachali caps and gifting Kangra tea and honey to US President Donald Trump during his visit to America.
In his constituency, Thakur has been highlighting some of the developmental work that the Central government has done, including road connectivity, railways, apart from banks, health and medical facilities. “The Central government had sanctioned 61 national highways in Himachal Pradesh, of which 25 are in Hamirpur parliamentary constituency.”
What Dhumal does have in his control are what he reckons are the right issues on which to fight the elections: corruption, law-and-order situation and the complete halt of government work under the present state government under Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
“The state is in a terrible financial state and, if we are elected, it will take us some time to bring it back on the rails,” the two-time former CM said.
In its vision document for Himachal Pradesh released last weekend, the BJP had announced that the Central government would take up the issue of doubling the exemption limit under the goods and services tax (GST) to Rs 20 lakh in the state (the limit in hilly states is Rs 10 lakh). “Many traders in Himachal who are our supporters have asked us to raise the threshold. The government has already allowed taxpayers with Rs 1.5 crore annual turnover to file quarterly returns instead of monthly and increased the threshold for composition scheme to Rs 1 crore from Rs 75 lakh,” Dhumal said.
Meanwhile JP Nadda, Union minister for health and family welfare and a Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh, who was till last week seen as a contender for BJP’s CM face in the state, told ET Magazine that he was happy to remain in Delhi.
“We are contesting these elections to save and maintain the dignity and pride of Devbhumi or Himachal Pradesh. We are all witness to the ruin of the law and order system, a steady rise in corruption and a decline in development in the state under the Congress government in the last five years,” said Nadda, who has been extensively campaigning in the state. He pointed out that many of the local issues that the incumbent Congress government failed to deliver on — including corruption, law and order, development and growth, employment opportunities and drug abuse by the youth — are being specifically addressed by his party.
That Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed that Himachal Pradesh holds a special place in his heart will give a significant advantage to the BJP, according to the health minister. “In HP, the agenda is development, growth, delivery of services, skill development, growth of tourism and employment opportunities along with a sharper focus on social sector, including health and education.”
Anurag Thakur, BJP MP from Himachal’s Hamirpur and son of Dhumal, has been campaigning across his constituency for the last couple of weeks and feels confident that his party will register a victory with over 50 seats in the 68-member assembly.
“Whenever the prime minister has visited Himachal, he has given something to the state — an AIIMS, an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) and a steel processing plant.”
The PM has expressed his special bond with HP in many ways, often sporting traditional Himachali caps and gifting Kangra tea and honey to US President Donald Trump during his visit to America.
In his constituency, Thakur has been highlighting some of the developmental work that the Central government has done, including road connectivity, railways, apart from banks, health and medical facilities. “The Central government had sanctioned 61 national highways in Himachal Pradesh, of which 25 are in Hamirpur parliamentary constituency.”
