Hyderabad: The outcome of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly election where Congress returned to power is not only a major boost to the grand old party but also a major embarrassment to the BJP whose high-pitched campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath failed to convince the voters to buck the trend of the government changing every five years in the state.
However, even as the Congress has gained a full majority in the hill state and is currently holding internal discussions on government formation, the party High Command seems to be somewhat apprehensive that the BJP may turn the tables at the last moment by poaching its MLAs and engineering defection its rank and file. Congress is well aware of the fact that coming to power in Himachal will not only prove to be a major boost to its sagging electoral fortune but has also foiled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's declared aim of a "Congress-mukt Bharat."
A glance at the electoral history of the state will make evident why the loss in Himachal will stick out like a sore thumb for the BJP. Considered to be the home state of BJP president JP Nadda, the state has often been a tough nut to crack for top party leaders based in Delhi who have often failed to read the pulse of the voters. On the development front also, the BJP has failed to live up to the expectation of voters leading to its defeat in the state as the promise of development by the saffron party was not totally fulfilled by the so-called "double-engine" government.
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The fact that Congress has won in Nadda's own constituency and despite the efforts of Union Minister Anurag Thakur, known for his proximity to the Prime Minister, BJP has failed to regain power in the State has also put the two leaders in a spot.
Congress on the other hand seemed to have gained big time by playing the sympathy card by highlighting Pratibha Singh, the wife of late party leader Virbhadra Singh. The popularity of Priyanka Gandhi, seen during campaigning, seems also to have played a key role in Congress's victory.
BJP also seems to miss a crisis manager like the late former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal who in 1988 ensured that the party comes to power when both Congress and BJP won 31 seats each in the Assembly election.
Anti-incumbency played a key role in BJP's poll debacle in the hill state as eight of its ministers lost in the Assembly election. The virtual withdrawal of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) from the contest in Himachal also helped Congress in coming to power in the state.
Unlike Gujarat, where the issues such as unemployment and administrative shortcomings of the ruling BJP highlighted by Congress in its 'silent campaign' failed to strike a chord with voters, in Himachal it seemed to have turned the tide in favor of the grand old party. Congress capitalized on the demand of state government employees of bringing back the Old Pension Scheme and highlighted that it had implemented it in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh where it is in power, and in Jharkhand where it is part of the ruling coalition.
BJP's declared opposition against restoring the OPS contributed to its defeat in Himachal. The Centre's short-term recruitment scheme for the armed forces Agnipath also generated severe discontent among voters in the State. The fact that a large portion of the state is rural and BJP is often considered to be a party of urban people also worked against the party.
However, several challenges await Congress as its getting ready to form the government in Himachal including the daunting task of providing employment to 15 lakh youth and dealing with the additional financial burden if it decides to reintroduce the OPS in the hill state.
