BJP goes in election mode in HP, Cong still struggles to put house in order

Shimla: Taking a clear lead over the Congress, in the run-up to the poll, Bharatiya Janata Party appointed Saudan Singh, the party's national vice-president as election in charge in Himachal Pradesh with Devendra Rana, a BJP leader from Jammu as co-in charge.

Significantly Saand top Saudan Singh has been already camping in Shimla for the past some months and has not only travelled most districts but also attended some of the crucial party meetings, and core-committee sessions to sharpen BJP postures.

The development comes on the day when the BJP core committee was already in session in Shimla to finalise the poll strategy in presence of top leaders viz Prem Kumar Dhumal, former Chief Minister, and Incumbent Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

Only, three days back, the BJP made Chief Minister overall in charge of the election campaign and former BJP president Rajeev Bindal in charge of the election management.

Party's national president J P Nadda, who hails from the state, was in Shimla last week and also held a series of meetings with party leaders to get first-hand feedback on the election preparedness. There are chances of the party replacing 20 to 22 per cent of its sitting MLAs to ensure that non-performing MLAs, also few cabinet ministers. The Congress on the other hand has appointed Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel as an election observer and Deepa Das Munshi as head of the screening committee thus taking complete control and command of the polls. Former union minister Anand Sharma has arrived in Shimla to gauge the mood of the party workers.