Omkar Dattatray
There was a tough contest between BJP and congress in Himachal Pradesh in the polls and now there is neck to neck position revealed by the counting of votes. As this write up is being written the position is not clear as to which party among the two contenders to power will be in a position to form the government. The congress is leading in 35 constituencies as per the news of the election commission and since 35 is the magic number required to form the government and the congress is near this number and thus there is possibility that congress may to able to form the government. The election results may be significant for the congress as it is for the first time after the assembly elections of 2018 that the congress is trying to muster the magic number to form the government in this small state of India. Since the tally of votes between two parties of the BJP and congress is very near and so it cannot be precisely said which party will stole the show and form government. In the final analysis it is the independent candidates who can play a dominant role in the government formation in Himachal Pradesh and it is the independent candidates who can be game changers and can be the king makers and both the party’s will look towards the independents and take their support to gain the power and be saddled in the seat of power. It is good that congress has gained a lot and consolidated its position in HP and there is at the time of writing this article 39 leads to congress and 26 leads to BJP and this seems to be sign of victory for congress. As the position will become clear soon the congress seems to be set to wrest power from formidable BJP in Shimla and this will be a historical victory for congress and this will be a feather in the head of congress president Kharga as the congress seems to be going to gain upper hand in the polls as the congress may be in a position to gain power. The congress seems to be creating history by gaining margin in the counting of votes. There is very less margin in the voting percentage between the BJP and congress as both have somewhat 43 per cent margins. This is obvious that in the tough an d neck to neck contest between the two parties it seems that congress will in the end sweep the elections in Himachal Pradesh. It is clear that the leads will consolidate and give a definite edge to the congress in the elections as revealed by the counting. The BJP at this point of time is lagging behind and the party is now banking upon the independent candidates for its distant chances of forming government. BJP is leading in 26 constituencies and congress is leading in 39 seats and this in fact is showing that congress may wrest power from BJP at the end. It was said of the polls in HP that the election was a three cornered contest but in actual practice it was a two cornered contest between the BJP and congress as the AAP is nowhere in the race and it seems to be more or less clear that congress may form the government in the state surprising all political pundits. It can be said with certainty that the margins are small but still congress can form government in Himachal Pradesh despite the fact that that the margin of leads is very small and even then the congress will form government in Himachal Pradesh. It obvious that the anti incumbency has played its part and has created havoc in the elections and there is every likelihood that congress will be able to gain power in the state. But inspite of the difference in the lead margins is very small between the two parties, but still congress will be in a position to form government after a long time. The Modi factor has not worked in Himachal Pradesh like in Gujarat and congress will definitely form government in Himachal Pradesh surprising all. The AAP got a severe drubbing as it failed to score even a seat and all talk of three cornered contest was sham and in fact in Himachal Pradesh polls it was a two cornered direct contest between the BJP and congress. However in the end there are chances that congress may be able to gain power in the state surprising all the poll forecasters and poll Pundits. The tall claims of the AAP have failed to have any effect on the voters and the party failed to even open its score. The Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Maan and Chief of AAP Kejriwal could not influence and impact voters and the camping of Punjab Chief Minister did not pay dividends to AAP and the party was disseminated from the state and the tall claims of the AAP leaders proved hallow and shallow and the party failed to register its presence. In any case the election battle was between the BJP and congress and it is the congress which has achieved a historical victory in Himachal Pradesh and proved the poll pundits and psychologists wrong.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist).
