SHIMLA: BJP workers in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh are humming a new slogan these days: ‘Is bar sakar nahi, riwaz badlenge (this time we will change the tradition of governments not repeating)’.
With this resolve in mind, the Jai Ram Thakur government has gone on a spree to announce jobs, new schemes, and administration offices in various constituencies as it entered the last leg of its tenure.
For the uninitiated, no government has managed to return to power in this hill state for the last 37 years, since 1985. But the BJP, buoyant on its recent feat in Uttar Pradesh, another state with a history of not repeating governments, hopes to overcome the anti-incumbency.
It was in 1985 that the government of Virbhadra Singh had repeated after the assassination of the prime minister Indira Gandhi.
To break the pattern, chief minister Jairam Thakur is leaving no stone unturned. He has announced two offices of Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and one block development office for the constituency of industry minister Bikram Thakur.
Earlier, the same announcement was made for Jubbal-Kotkhai where BJP had lost its deposit in the last Assembly polls.
Not only this, various posts are being created in industries, IPH and PWD department. Approvals are being given to open new schools and up-gradation of health centres.
The key decision being sold by saffron party leaders is 50 per cent concession in tickets to women passengers in state-run buses.
“The Congress is replicating the mother-son model in Himachal Pradesh too. BJP is committed to public welfare. Our government has taken decisions which have benefited every household. Grihni Suvidha Yojna was for females, an old age pension tailored to benefit senior citizens who have no support while Mukhyamantri Swavlambhan Yojna was for youths to make them entrepreneurs” CM Thakur told The New Indian.
Not only the government, the BJP orgnisation’s preparations are also in full gear, with its leaders holding back-to-back meetings of party workers. Recently, Union minister Samriti Irani addressed a rally of Tridev and now home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to hold another such event on June 23.
Mukesh Agnihotri, leader of opposition in Himachal, said that the BJP government has failed on all fronts. “They have spoiled the time and career of around 3 lakh youths of state in the paper leak incident of police recruitment exam” he added.
While son of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, Virkramaditya, has taken to social media levelling serious allegations against government officials for managing this politically and bringing crowds to BJP rallies.
He exuded confidence of overthrowing the BJP government in the upcoming Assembly elections and warned that the officials favouring the ruling party “would not be spared”.