We’ve already said it; ticket distribution is the bone of contention among the political parties when it comes to elections at the center and state level. Be it BJP, Congress or any other political party, ticket distribution has always created controversies and even jolted a party and its vested interests as a whole at times.
The case seems no different in Himachal Elections 2017 and more so in the case of BJP. In what can be deemed as a faulty ticket distribution as of now, BJP’s Mission 50 Plus is facing tough challenge from internal conflict originating owing to distributing tickets to candidates basis a survey of INR 31 crore by a private agency. Ignoring the party workers is resulting in silent resilience within the party which could do more damage than BJP can imagine.
On the other hand, in Himachal Elections 2017, not announcing Prem Kumar Dhumal as a chief ministerial candidate initially and Shanta Kumar being disinterested clearly show that they are not happy with the party high command and the way things have gone so far. Even though there is a long list of star conveners of BJP for HP elections including Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah, the fact remains that only rallies and election campaigns don’t break the ice alone but personal contacts and workers putting in stern efforts at grass root level do.
Secondly, annoying top leaders of the party at state level can cost BJP heavily and mushrooming leaders like Kirpal Parmar, Indu Goswami, Sanjay Chaudhari and Pramod Sharma might find it difficult to get through even when the anti-incumbency factor seems imminent and Modi wave is on. Also, as BJP election management is taking this election as event management, this careless approach can result into catastrophe.
In Himachal Elections 2017, BJP is finding it really difficult to flex its muscles against its arch rivals for reason being many. Making corruption as a prime reason and a chance for targeting its adversary on the same has almost gone with the party welcoming Sukh Ram and his family into the organization. The biggest one, however, is to pacify the enraged workers as well as vote bank and keep trust in the party intact after demonetization and GST planks.
People struggling with inflation, petrol price at INR 73-74 even when the price in the international market is half of what it was in 2013 and farmers committing suicide in Maharashtra are some of the issues that pull BJP on the back foot. Demonetization and GST has wreaked havoc on small, medium shopkeeper and bourgeois. To top it all, struggling apple growers, small farmers and workers which constitute a huge vote bank of half a million can make or break BJP’s political game in Himachal Pradesh.
