Himachal Pradesh Elections 2017: Congress heavyweight Virbhadra vs BJP’s Rajput card Dhumal – who will be CM?

The 12-day high-voltage campaign closed on November 07. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, leaders of both the parties addressed a number of rallies to woo voters in their favor.

Corruption was the main focus of the BJP campaign with the party hitting out at Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, while the Congress targeted the BJP over the issue of GST and demonetization.

Development:

Surveys suggest that development is the most significant issue in the upcoming Assembly Elections 2017 for the people of Himachal Pradesh. Since the state is governed by the Congress and Centre by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the latter has an edge over the former.

Both the parties - the BJP and Congress - have blamed on each other for not undertaking adequate development in the hilly state. The BJP says the Congress’ spending on schools, roads, and health facilities in the state has been wasteful. Ahead of Himachal Pradesh polls, the Centre sanctioned 61 national highways for the state and alleged that Congress-led state government did not prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for these roads despite receiving the notification in September last year. However, the Congress denied receiving the notification.

To woo voters, the Congress has claimed that there has been “record development” in Himachal Pradesh since 2012, with the opening of colleges in interior areas, upgradation of schools, and launch of various job schemes. Whereas the BJP is banking on the medical colleges the Centre opened in Mandi, Chamba, and Sirmaur.

Corruption:

The corruption case against Congress leader and six-time Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is a strong weapon in the hand of the BJP in the upcoming polls. In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Bilaspur as part of the BJP’s parivartan campaign earlier this month to inaugurate an AIIMS, had described Virbhadra Singh as a zamanati chief minister. Also, the party's anthem for the elections primarily targets the Chief Minister on corruption cases.

Interestingly, the octogenarian Congress leader, who is facing charges of disproportionate assets, had declared in the affidavit filed along with the nomination papers that he and his family has no vehicle but movable assets worth over Rs 9.5 crore.

Notably, Virbhadra Singh's wife Pratibha Singh, a former MP, is also under the scanner for disproportionate assets. The investigation against the HP CM and his family members was initiated following graft allegations against him during his tenure as the Union Steel Minister from 2009 to 2011. On September 23, 2015, a case was filed against the couple under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The BJP believes that with the help of 'Modi magic', the party will ride on the anti-incumbency factor.

Law and order:

The gangrape-murder of a Class 10 student and the death of a forest guard this year have given the chance to the BJP to target the Himachal Pradesh government, accusing it of shielding culprits.

When the BJP set the ball rolling for the elections in September, party president Amit Shah mentioned the Gudiya rape case and the murder of Hoshiar Singh in Mandi. The BJP has also accused the state government of the rising drug menace, illegal mining, and deforestation.

GST and Demonetisation:

The BJP is banking on its fight against black money and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax. Interestingly, Himachal Pradesh will go to polls a day after the first anniversary of demonetization — November 08. While the Centre is making all efforts to ease the GST-related inconvenience caused to traders, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi kicked off the party’s election campaign by claiming that the Modi government’s economic policies were responsible for “causing unemployment”.

 Agriculture:

Himachal Pradesh farmers, who claim not getting sufficient price for their crops, have been seeking a policy to save their interests. An increase in import duty on apple is sought to help domestic farmers. However, despite fulfilling their earlier promises, both the parties are locking horns over the delay in subsidies to farmers waiting for relief since their claims of 2013-14.

Monkey menace:

Yes, monkey menace is a key issue in Himachal Pradesh Elections. Congress, as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party, have promised to find a permanent solution to the problem. Monkeys not only attack humans but also damage crops. The statistics shared by the agriculture department reveals that monkeys (found both in rural and urban areas of the state) and birds cause a loss of Rs 150.10 crore to different horticultural crops annually in the state.