HP: Cong in shambles, BJP moves in advance for two Assembly bypolls

Shimla: Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur's quick visits to Pacchad and Dharamshala – both assembly segments set to witness bypolls soon, in past two days, can't be without a reason.

Both assembly seats had fallen vacant after the election of sitting MLAs – Krishan Kapoor, earlier a minister in the state government and Suresh Kashyap to the Lok Sabha by record margins 4.77 lakh and 3.27 lakh respectively.

Knowing that byelections could be announced for both vacant assembly seats, in the 68-member state assembly any time this month, Chief Minister has started advance preparedness to take advantage of the Congress's discord and demoralisation, suffered after the Lok Sabha polls.

Not alone this, the BJP's organisation set-up is also well geared-up for the polls to retain both the seats.

"We have not only ready for the bypoll for Pacchad and Dharamshala, which are part of Shimla Parliamentary constituency and Kangra respectively, but also working on plans for next 2022 assembly polls. We will create new records again," said Satpal Satti, BJP state president .

At Dharamshala on Monday, the Chief Minister gave a clear signal about development process having been accelerated in Kangra district, where the party has a strong base. He also launched few development projects.

"You sent Krishan Kapoor, the BJP MP, with a record margin to the Lok Sabha. We expected to break the record in the state assembly bypolls too. The BJP is confident of winning the seat as the Congress can't even put a symbolic fight as the party neither has leadership nor agenda to get public support," said the Chief Minister.

On Sunday while being at Pacchad, he declared that bypoll announcement could happen anytime in next 10 days. The poll will be held along with Haryana and Jharkhand. For this, the BJP cadres were already working to see that the BJP retains its strongest fortress.

Though last month, the Congress put-out a show of strength at Baghthan, an ancestral village of state's first Chief Minister Dr Y S Parmar and launched its drive – 'Save Himachal' against the BJP government's failures and 'sell-out' of the state's interest to outsiders.

PCC president Kuldeep Rathore tried to rope in top party leaders yet he could not muster expected support. The idea was definitely to energise the party ranks in Pacchad before the bypoll. Next, he also went to Dharamshala.