Shimla34 minutes ago
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Has the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) left the Himachal field? The entry was bang with great enthusiasm, but now it looks like this. The ‘broom’ is unable to climb the mountain because the assembly elections have been announced. Other parties including BJP-Congress are busy announcing and campaigning for tickets, but AAP is nowhere to be seen. No candidates announced, no rally. Didn’t even see any movement.
The question arises that the kind of activism shown by Arvind Kejriwal and party leaders in Himachal after the victory in Punjab, why has there been such a drastic decline? Himachal Pradesh is a state adjacent to Punjab and Punjab is ruled by Aam Aadmi Party. In such a situation, definitely Arvind Kejriwal should have put more power in this small state, because here he can get electoral success.
Initially, Kejriwal did this, but now he is seen as anonymous, as well as his party has also become secondary from Himachal. After all, why the Aam Aadmi Party is not able to connect with Himachal, let us know the reasons behind it in a sequential manner …
Why the broom is not able to climb the mountain, there are different reasons…
The first reason: to be a party established in the trust of the people
In Himachal, BJP and Congress are among the people for years and today both are fully established parties in the state. BJP has a history of nearly 40 years. Congress has also formed the government many times. Congress’s Virbhadra Singh was the Chief Minister of the state for 6 times. In such a situation, it is not possible for people to trust the Aam Aadmi Party at once.
Reason 2: Mountain people less trusting of free-services
The world knows that Himachal Pradesh is a state of mountains and like the roads of the mountains, the life of the people there is also very inaccessible. The more difficult the mountains are to climb, the more difficult it is to live in the mountains. The people of the state are simple people. Live a life of self-respect, they will not like to take free services.
Reason 3: No big faces added yet
AAP does not have any big and strong face. After the results of Punjab, many Himachal leaders also contacted AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal, but then AAP expressed its desire to go ahead with the common workers. Did not promise to give ticket to anyone, so people did not join the party.
Fourth reason: Arvind Kejriwal not giving time
One of the reasons why Aam Aadmi Party is lagging behind in Himachal is not giving time to Arvind Kejriwal. In the last 3 months, Kejriwal has focused on Gujarat itself and it seems that he has turned his back on Himachal Pradesh. It takes constant hard work to win the assembly elections, but Arvind Kejriwal, the biggest face of the party and the party’s convener, has reduced his activism to almost zero in Himachal.
5th reason: Allegations of corruption against Satyendar Jain
The Aam Aadmi Party had made Delhi government cabinet minister Satyendar Jain in-charge of the party in Himachal Pradesh, but Jain was arrested by the ED in late May and is in jail. Since then an important post like in-charge was vacant and on October 14, the party has made Punjab government’s cabinet minister Harjot Singh Bains in-charge of Himachal Pradesh. It will take time for the new in-charge to understand the working, but the election announcement has been made and there is no time to understand. In such a situation, how will he take the party among the people?
Kejriwal had appealed to give a chance
Aam Aadmi Party’s national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had made a quick tour of Himachal Pradesh after winning a massive victory in the Punjab Assembly elections in March 2022. Kejriwal made big promises to the people of Himachal Pradesh and appealed to give them a chance for big changes. Kejriwal made many big promises to the people of Himachal as soon as the government was formed, to restore the old pension scheme, to give unemployment allowance of Rs 3000 every month to the youth, to give women honor amount of 1000 rupees per month, which was done by the party on the occasion of an election. The absence seems to be proven false.
9 political parties have been defeated
Before AAP in Himachal, 9 different political parties have tried to give a third option, but all failed. These include Trinamool Congress (TMC), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Shiv Sena, National Congress Party (NCP), Janata Dal, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), CPI(M), CPI, Himachal Lokhit Party (HILOP). Many other parties including Himachal Vikas Congress (HIVC) have tried their luck, but the people here have badly rejected these parties.
HIVC had removed Congress from power
Former Union Minister late in the allegations of corruption. After leaving the Congress, Pandit Sukh Ram had contested elections in all 68 assembly constituencies by forming Himachal Vikas Congress in 1998. At that time, except 4 seats in Mandi district and 1 seat in Lahaul-Spiti, voters had completely rejected the HIVC. By winning 5 seats, the HIVC was successful in keeping the Congress party out of power, but Dhumal played an important role in forming the government by supporting the BJP. In 2003, the voters had completely rejected the HIVC.
Maheshwar Singh has also made Hilopa
Former MP Maheshwar Singh had also formed the Himachal Lokhit Party in the 2012 assembly elections after relations with the BJP soured. Then Hilopa also contested the assembly elections in all circles, but only Maheshwar Singh could win the election.
Mahendra Singh Thakur won from LJP
Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) also tried to establish its roots in Himachal. At that time, except Mahendra Singh Thakur, no other candidate could even save his deposit.
AAP lags behind the strength of Congress
Himachal Congress was completely shattered after the election results of 5 states including Punjab. Then a section of Congress in the state also started lobbying against former state president Kuldeep Rathore. Due to this, the Congress party was completely on the back foot in the months of March and April and the AAP, excited by the results of Punjab, started establishing itself in the state. The party also got success in this.
Then it was believed that the ruling BJP would compete with the AAP, but in May the Congress high command handed over the command of Congress to Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh and formed a jumbo executive of several office-bearers. After this the Congress became aggressive in the state. The Congress has made a comeback by appointing election officials and fielding Priyanka in the electoral battle.
With the Congress on the track, AAP fell behind and many Aam Aadmi Party leaders also joined the Congress. Some leaders also joined BJP.