Himachal Pradesh has sent a clear message to the BJP, highlighting the need for introspection despite their victory in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP's primary focus was on securing parliamentary seats, while the state Congress concentrated on the assembly by-elections. This divergence in priorities led to new political dynamics in the state.
Diverging Priorities and Electoral Outcomes
While the BJP has won four parliamentary seats in Himachal, the reduced vote margins indicate underlying issues. In Mandi, where the BJP previously enjoyed leads of up to four lakh votes, actress Kangana Ranaut faced stiff competition from Vikramaditya Singh, with the margin shrinking to around 75,000 votes. This was despite former CM Jairam Thakur's relentless campaigning, alongside efforts from Prime Minister Modi, Nitin Gadkari, and Yogi Adityanath.
Jairam Thakur's focus on securing Mandi for Kangana led to setbacks in the by-elections. The BJP's machinery, including its workers and MLAs, prioritized Kangana’s campaign, which resulted in losses in Dharamshala, Lahaul-Spiti, Sujjanpur, Badsar, Gagret, and Kutlehar assembly seats. Congress won four of these seats, while the BJP secured only two.
Parliamentary Results and Comparisons
The BJP's candidates—Kangana Ranaut in Mandi, Anurag Thakur in Hamirpur, Rajiv Bhardwaj in Kangra, and Suresh Kashyap in Shimla—won their respective parliamentary seats. However, the margins were significantly lower compared to 2019. Kangana won Mandi by 73,256 votes, Suresh Kashyap won Shimla by 90,000 votes, Anurag Thakur won Hamirpur by 168,784 votes, and Dr. Rajiv Bhardwaj won Kangra by 244,728 votes. In contrast, the 2019 elections saw BJP winning Mandi by 405,459 votes, Kangra by 477,623 votes, Hamirpur by 399,572 votes, and Shimla by 327,514 votes.
Need for Introspection
Despite winning, the BJP's reduced margins and losses in assembly by-elections indicate the need for self-assessment. The party must address the potential adverse effects of sidelining workers and senior leaders. Additionally, the excessive interference from Delhi has had noticeable impacts. Local issues such as jobs, pensions, and employee welfare dominated these elections and should be prioritized in future strategies.
The Himachal Pradesh elections have underscored the complexity of the political landscape, suggesting that the BJP needs to recalibrate its approach to maintain its stronghold in the region.
