Shimla | TNR
Whatever the results might be of the three bypolls scheduled to be held soon in Himachal Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a lead as far as canvassing is concerned.
Bypolls are to be held for two assembly seats, Jubbal-Kotkhai and Fatehpur, and the Mandi Lok Sabha seat.
Congress, on the other hand, has not yet commenced any canvassing for its candidates.
Rohit Thakur, expected to be the Congress candidate for the Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly seat has started canvassing but nothing of this sort is happening in Mandi Lok Sabha seat and Fatehpur assembly seat.
Test run for BJP, Cong
The three bypolls are considered important as their results would indicate the rise or fall in the popularity of the ruling BJP government in the state and the Opposition Congress ahead of the assembly elections in 2022.
BJP gauging mood
Senior leaders of BJP are busy gauging the mood and morale of their party office-bearers as well as party workers. A meeting of senior BJP leaders was held recently in Chandigarh to review preparations for the bypolls. Subsequently, a three-day BJP conclave was held in Dharamshala. BJP national president JP Nadda has held discussions in Kullu with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, BJP state president Suresh Kashyap, district chiefs and divisional chiefs of all districts falling under Mandi Lok Sabha seat.
Congress state in-charge tour
The proposed visit of Congress in-charge for Himachal Pradesh, Rajiv Shukla, on July 7 in Dharamshala is ostensibly to work out a strategy for the three bypolls. Shukla is scheduled to meet the party corporators of Dharamshala Municipal Corporation. Congress had lost the Dharamshala civic body polls but it had won in Palampur municipal polls. However, Shukla is not scheduled to meet the party corporators of Palampur Municipal Corporation. Party sources said that infighting among some party senior leaders has made it imperative for Shukla to meet the party corporators of Dharamshala Municipal Corporation.
