News Analysis India

Tag: Himachal Pradesh elections

  • No infighting within Himachal Congress, ‘conflict’ was for CM post: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: There is no infighting within the Himachal Pradesh Congress and the “conflict” was only for chief ministership as there were three-four claimants, newly sworn-in CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said, adding if something were wrong, there would have been a “Rajasthan-like situation”.

    He asserted that no Congress legislator in the state would defect to the BJP and the party’s government was committed to work for the people and would fulfil the promise of restoring the old pension scheme for government employees in the first cabinet meeting.

    In an exclusive interview with PTI, Sukhu said, “We have spoken to the finance secretary. Under a strategy we know from where we have to generate money and where we have to invest. We have done the work on introducing the old pension scheme and we will introduce it in the first cabinet meeting.”

    Asked about the expansion of his cabinet, he said it will happen soon and denied reports about some MLAs lobbying for ministerial berths.

    After the Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats, the party picked Sukhu, 58, as its chief minister over some other claimants to the post, including state party chief Pratibha Singh and Mukesh Agnihotri.

    Sukhu, a four-time MLA from Nadaun in Hamirpur district and the son of a bus driver, was sworn in as the chief minister on December 11.

    Agnihotri took oath as the deputy chief minister.

    The chief minister dismissed reports about infighting within the Congress state unit, but admitted that there was jockeying for the post of CM.

    “Conflict was for post, it’s not party conflict. Three-four people were willing to occupy the post of chief minister. You can see till now we have not done the cabinet expansion. If something were wrong, a Rajasthan-like situation would have occurred,” he said.

    The Congress government in Rajasthan led by Ashok Gehlot faced a rebellion by his then deputy and state party president Sachin Pilot and some other MLAs in 2020.

    Though the Congress managed to defuse the situation then, the two factions have been at loggerheads ever since.

    Sukhu targeted the opposition BJP over reports that some Congress MLAs may join hands with it.

    “No Congress member will defect from the party,” he asserted.

    He said the people of the state voted against malgovernance of the BJP.

    He said the country is facing various issues such as unemployment and inflation but the BJP is trying to divert people’s attention from the core issue by using various tactics including making mockery of Rahul Gandhi’s speech.

    He hailed the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra and said the foot march aims to unite people and remove hate that is being spread in society in the name of religion and caste.

    Sukhu credited Congress workers for the victory of the party and praised party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for framing an effective campaigning strategy.

    The chief minister said his government was committed to work for the welfare of the people and would fulfil the “10 guarantees” made to the people in the run-up to the November 12 assembly elections.

    The poll results were announced on December 8.

    In its manifesto for the assembly elections, the Congress made 10 promises such as restoration of the old pension scheme, 300 units of free power, a Rs 680-crore Startup fund, one lakh jobs, Rs 1,500 per month for women aged between 18 and 60 years, and free medical treatment in every village through mobile clinics.

    NEW DELHI: There is no infighting within the Himachal Pradesh Congress and the “conflict” was only for chief ministership as there were three-four claimants, newly sworn-in CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said, adding if something were wrong, there would have been a “Rajasthan-like situation”.

    He asserted that no Congress legislator in the state would defect to the BJP and the party’s government was committed to work for the people and would fulfil the promise of restoring the old pension scheme for government employees in the first cabinet meeting.

    In an exclusive interview with PTI, Sukhu said, “We have spoken to the finance secretary. Under a strategy we know from where we have to generate money and where we have to invest. We have done the work on introducing the old pension scheme and we will introduce it in the first cabinet meeting.”

    Asked about the expansion of his cabinet, he said it will happen soon and denied reports about some MLAs lobbying for ministerial berths.

    After the Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats, the party picked Sukhu, 58, as its chief minister over some other claimants to the post, including state party chief Pratibha Singh and Mukesh Agnihotri.

    Sukhu, a four-time MLA from Nadaun in Hamirpur district and the son of a bus driver, was sworn in as the chief minister on December 11.

    Agnihotri took oath as the deputy chief minister.

    The chief minister dismissed reports about infighting within the Congress state unit, but admitted that there was jockeying for the post of CM.

    “Conflict was for post, it’s not party conflict. Three-four people were willing to occupy the post of chief minister. You can see till now we have not done the cabinet expansion. If something were wrong, a Rajasthan-like situation would have occurred,” he said.

    The Congress government in Rajasthan led by Ashok Gehlot faced a rebellion by his then deputy and state party president Sachin Pilot and some other MLAs in 2020.

    Though the Congress managed to defuse the situation then, the two factions have been at loggerheads ever since.

    Sukhu targeted the opposition BJP over reports that some Congress MLAs may join hands with it.

    “No Congress member will defect from the party,” he asserted.

    He said the people of the state voted against malgovernance of the BJP.

    He said the country is facing various issues such as unemployment and inflation but the BJP is trying to divert people’s attention from the core issue by using various tactics including making mockery of Rahul Gandhi’s speech.

    He hailed the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra and said the foot march aims to unite people and remove hate that is being spread in society in the name of religion and caste.

    Sukhu credited Congress workers for the victory of the party and praised party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for framing an effective campaigning strategy.

    The chief minister said his government was committed to work for the welfare of the people and would fulfil the “10 guarantees” made to the people in the run-up to the November 12 assembly elections.

    The poll results were announced on December 8.

    In its manifesto for the assembly elections, the Congress made 10 promises such as restoration of the old pension scheme, 300 units of free power, a Rs 680-crore Startup fund, one lakh jobs, Rs 1,500 per month for women aged between 18 and 60 years, and free medical treatment in every village through mobile clinics.

  • Congress leaders credit Priyanka Gandhi for Himachal win

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: With the Congress winning the Himachal Pradesh polls, its leaders on Thursday credited party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s campaign in the hill state for the good showing of the party in the assembly elections.

    Priyanka Gandhi led the party’s charge in Himachal Pradesh with several rallies and was also closely involved in strategy planning for the polls.

    Many leaders hailed her leadership in securing the win for the party and defeating the BJP’s election machinery.

    “Heartfelt thanks to the people of Himachal Pradesh for giving the mandate to the Indian National Congress. This victory is the victory of people’s issues and their resolve to progress. Best wishes to all the leaders and workers of the Congress party. Your hard work paid off,” Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

    All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla hailed Priyanka Gandhi’s campaign and leadership, lauding the “hard work” put in by her.

    LIVE | Assembly elections results: BJP sweeps Gujarat, Congress wins Himachal

    Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma also complimented Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for her “spirited” campaign in the state.

    This is Priyanka Gandhi’s first electoral success while heading the campaign charge.

    The party had lost Uttar Pradesh assembly polls while she spearheaded the canvassing there earlier this year.

    Party sources said the team of Priyanka Gandhi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who was the senior observer for the polls, played an important role in formulating the election campaign.

    READ HERE | How the Congress won Himachal

    Based on the feedback, a systematic election campaign was prepared under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi that involved framing of welfare schemes for women, youth, and employees, the sources said.

    During her rallies in Sirmour, Kangra, Solan and Una, Priyanka Gandhi raised the issues of Agnipath, inflation, unemployment and the old pension scheme.

    The Congress had won 39 seats and was leading on one in the 68-member Himachal Assembly while BJP bagged 19 seats and was leading in six.

    NEW DELHI: With the Congress winning the Himachal Pradesh polls, its leaders on Thursday credited party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s campaign in the hill state for the good showing of the party in the assembly elections.

    Priyanka Gandhi led the party’s charge in Himachal Pradesh with several rallies and was also closely involved in strategy planning for the polls.

    Many leaders hailed her leadership in securing the win for the party and defeating the BJP’s election machinery.

    “Heartfelt thanks to the people of Himachal Pradesh for giving the mandate to the Indian National Congress. This victory is the victory of people’s issues and their resolve to progress. Best wishes to all the leaders and workers of the Congress party. Your hard work paid off,” Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

    All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla hailed Priyanka Gandhi’s campaign and leadership, lauding the “hard work” put in by her.

    LIVE | Assembly elections results: BJP sweeps Gujarat, Congress wins Himachal

    Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma also complimented Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for her “spirited” campaign in the state.

    This is Priyanka Gandhi’s first electoral success while heading the campaign charge.

    The party had lost Uttar Pradesh assembly polls while she spearheaded the canvassing there earlier this year.

    Party sources said the team of Priyanka Gandhi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who was the senior observer for the polls, played an important role in formulating the election campaign.

    READ HERE | How the Congress won Himachal

    Based on the feedback, a systematic election campaign was prepared under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi that involved framing of welfare schemes for women, youth, and employees, the sources said.

    During her rallies in Sirmour, Kangra, Solan and Una, Priyanka Gandhi raised the issues of Agnipath, inflation, unemployment and the old pension scheme.

    The Congress had won 39 seats and was leading on one in the 68-member Himachal Assembly while BJP bagged 19 seats and was leading in six.

  • Himachal polls: People of state have decided to go with Modi, says CM Thakur

    On rebel candidates posing trouble for the party, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said they would impact the results in six to seven assembly seats, not more.

  • BJP cannot fool people of Himachal with its ‘jumlas’: Mallikarjun Kharge at election rally

    By PTI

    BANUTI: Addressing his first public meeting in the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday trained his gun on the BJP and said it may have fooled people across the country with its “jumlas” but cannot do so in the hill state.

    “People here are educated, understand everything and take a considered decision (in voting). The BJP may have been able to fool people all over the country with its jumlas (rhetoric) of Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts and jobs, but it cannot do so here,” Kharge said.

    Kharge, who was elected Congress president recently, arrived in Himachal Pradesh Tuesday evening and addressed his first public meeting in Banuti in support of party candidate from the Shimla Rural assembly constituency Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday.

    The Congress is seeking to wrest power from the BJP in the hill state, where the Congress and the BJP have governed alternately for the past many decades.

    Polling in Himachal Pradesh will be held on November 12 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.

    Kharge said the Congress would fulfil all its promises made in the manifesto and the restoration of the old pension scheme would be the first decision of its government, if elected.

    “As far as the old pension scheme is concerned, it will be implemented first. This is our promise and if given a chance this will be the first thing to be done,” he said.

    Restoration of the old pension scheme, 300 units of free power, a Rs 680-crore StartUp fund, one lakh jobs and Rs 1,500 per month for women aged between 18 and 60 years are among the promises the Congress has made in its manifesto for the Himachal Pradesh polls.

    The Congress president alleged that the BJP wins elections by making false promises and spreading lies.

    “Why do you speak untruth? Speak truth and then seek votes. You also said you will provide 2 crore jobs every year and had you fulfilled your promise, there would have been 18 crore jobs by now and the youth would not have been unemployed,” he said, targeting the BJP.

    Donning a Himachali cap, he said he comes from south India but will speak in Hindustani.

    Accusing the BJP of not practising internal democracy Kharge said he was elected as the Congress president and everyone knew how his election was held, but no one knew about J P Nadda’s election as the BJP president.

    “Because, there are no elections in the BJP and there is only nomination. They only talk about the Congress, but I would ask them how many candidates were there for the BJP president’s election. You do not believe in democracy and speak about others,” he charged.

    The prime minister and all BJP leaders during debates in Parliament talked of jobs, but there are 65,000 vacancies in the government in Himachal Pradesh and 14 lakh across the country and the prime minister is giving out job certificates to only 75,000 people.

    He alleged that the BJP was not filling up lakhs of vacancies and was not looking at rising unemployment and inflation.

    “Farmers do not have mandis to sell their produce. They do not even get MSP. Those selling fruits at much higher rates after buying cheaper from farmers here are supported by the BJP and the chief minister. Do you need such a government,” he asked.

    Kharge said the Congress had fulfilled all promises made earlier and “we will also waive loans of farmers here”.

    He hailed the soldiers from Himachal Pradesh who are protecting the country’s borders and said because of them “we are alive”.

    “If you did not protect the country, we all would have not been alive as the enemy would have entered and cut all our heads.”

    He also targeted the BJP government over the Agniveer scheme for short-term recruitment in the armed forces.

    After a four-year stint in the forces, the youths will not get any pension or gratuity and they will not be even called ex-servicemen, he said.

    The BJP is “in the habit of fooling people” and it does nothing but abuse the Congress.

    “They (BJP leaders) do not chant any mantra after waking up in morning but abuse the Congress on various issues. That is their way but we work for the people,” he said.

    Kharge also listed out the 10 promises made by the Congress to the people of Himachal and said all of them will be fulfilled.

    “These are not our jumlas like those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These are our promises. I will only urge people to vote for the Congress and I am getting information that a Congress government will be formed in Himachal Pradesh,” he said.

    BANUTI: Addressing his first public meeting in the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday trained his gun on the BJP and said it may have fooled people across the country with its “jumlas” but cannot do so in the hill state.

    “People here are educated, understand everything and take a considered decision (in voting). The BJP may have been able to fool people all over the country with its jumlas (rhetoric) of Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts and jobs, but it cannot do so here,” Kharge said.

    Kharge, who was elected Congress president recently, arrived in Himachal Pradesh Tuesday evening and addressed his first public meeting in Banuti in support of party candidate from the Shimla Rural assembly constituency Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday.

    The Congress is seeking to wrest power from the BJP in the hill state, where the Congress and the BJP have governed alternately for the past many decades.

    Polling in Himachal Pradesh will be held on November 12 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.

    Kharge said the Congress would fulfil all its promises made in the manifesto and the restoration of the old pension scheme would be the first decision of its government, if elected.

    “As far as the old pension scheme is concerned, it will be implemented first. This is our promise and if given a chance this will be the first thing to be done,” he said.

    Restoration of the old pension scheme, 300 units of free power, a Rs 680-crore StartUp fund, one lakh jobs and Rs 1,500 per month for women aged between 18 and 60 years are among the promises the Congress has made in its manifesto for the Himachal Pradesh polls.

    The Congress president alleged that the BJP wins elections by making false promises and spreading lies.

    “Why do you speak untruth? Speak truth and then seek votes. You also said you will provide 2 crore jobs every year and had you fulfilled your promise, there would have been 18 crore jobs by now and the youth would not have been unemployed,” he said, targeting the BJP.

    Donning a Himachali cap, he said he comes from south India but will speak in Hindustani.

    Accusing the BJP of not practising internal democracy Kharge said he was elected as the Congress president and everyone knew how his election was held, but no one knew about J P Nadda’s election as the BJP president.

    “Because, there are no elections in the BJP and there is only nomination. They only talk about the Congress, but I would ask them how many candidates were there for the BJP president’s election. You do not believe in democracy and speak about others,” he charged.

    The prime minister and all BJP leaders during debates in Parliament talked of jobs, but there are 65,000 vacancies in the government in Himachal Pradesh and 14 lakh across the country and the prime minister is giving out job certificates to only 75,000 people.

    He alleged that the BJP was not filling up lakhs of vacancies and was not looking at rising unemployment and inflation.

    “Farmers do not have mandis to sell their produce. They do not even get MSP. Those selling fruits at much higher rates after buying cheaper from farmers here are supported by the BJP and the chief minister. Do you need such a government,” he asked.

    Kharge said the Congress had fulfilled all promises made earlier and “we will also waive loans of farmers here”.

    He hailed the soldiers from Himachal Pradesh who are protecting the country’s borders and said because of them “we are alive”.

    “If you did not protect the country, we all would have not been alive as the enemy would have entered and cut all our heads.”

    He also targeted the BJP government over the Agniveer scheme for short-term recruitment in the armed forces.

    After a four-year stint in the forces, the youths will not get any pension or gratuity and they will not be even called ex-servicemen, he said.

    The BJP is “in the habit of fooling people” and it does nothing but abuse the Congress.

    “They (BJP leaders) do not chant any mantra after waking up in morning but abuse the Congress on various issues. That is their way but we work for the people,” he said.

    Kharge also listed out the 10 promises made by the Congress to the people of Himachal and said all of them will be fulfilled.

    “These are not our jumlas like those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These are our promises. I will only urge people to vote for the Congress and I am getting information that a Congress government will be formed in Himachal Pradesh,” he said.

  • Congress enemy of development, Himachal needs stable govt of double engine: PM at poll rallies

    Noting that the Congress is left with power in only two states, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Modi asked people if they have ever heard of them making news for development.

  • Himachal Pradesh elections: Congress banks on ‘royals’, BJP says no place for them in democracy

    By PTI

    SHIMLA: Once reigning over principalities, the erstwhile royals of Himachal Pradesh are looking to retain their influence, not just contesting elections but also becoming a centre of debate.

    While the Congress has put its money on a number of former “royals” in the upcoming Assembly polls, the ruling BJP says there is no place for “rajas and ranis” in a democracy.

    The influence of the “royals” has, however, waned over the years, as is clear from their depleting numbers in the poll fray this time.

    Only a handful of them are contesting the Assembly election to be held on November 12.

    Virbhadra Singh, who hailed from the erstwhile Rampur Bushahr royal family, dominated the politics of the hill state for almost five decades.

    His son Vikramaditya is now in the fray from the Shimla Rural seat.

    Vikramaditya Singh’s mother Pratibha Singh, who hails from the erstwhile Keonthal royal family, is the president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress.

    She is not contesting the election as she is the MP from Mandi.

    Asha Kumari, the five-time MLA from Dalhousie, is married in the erstwhile royal family of Chamba.

    She has been nominated by the Congress this time as well.

    Incumbent MLA Anirudh Singh of the erstwhile Koti royal family is contesting again from Kasumpti.

    He is also a former chairman of the Shimla Zila Parishad.

    Another “royal” scion in the fray is Hiteshwar Singh as an independent from the Banjar constituency in Kullu.

    His father Maheshwar Singh, the “king” of the erstwhile Kullu kingdom, lost his ticket as his son threw his hat in the ring.

    The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised the pitch against the Congress, accusing it of being a party of “rajas and ranis”.

    The reference is to former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who ruled the state for decades and whose wife and son are still running the show for the grand old party.

    However, missing from the poll contest this time is Vijay Jyoti Sen of the erstwhile Keonthal royal family, who is also Pratibha Singh’s sister-in-law.

    Sen had contested the last Assembly polls from Kasumpti.

    She is supporting the BJP this time.

    Chandresh Kumari of the erstwhile Kangra royal family is also not there in this election.

    She had a sway once in both Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan as she hails from the erstwhile Jodhpur royal family.

    She has been a former minister in Himachal Pradesh and a former member of Parliament too.

    “Gone are the days of raja-rani, now is the time of the common people,” Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah had said while launching a tirade against royalty and the Congress at his poll rallies.

    Shah had also accused the Congress of being a party of “raja-rani” and said there is no place for “royals” in a democracy anymore.

    However, Anirudh Singh feels that for the current generation of voters, it does not matter whether one belongs to a “royal” family or not, what matters is one’s conduct.

    “If you work for people, people will develop a liking for you.

    If you stay like a commoner despite being from a royal family, people will prefer you and the liking will grow,” he told PTI.

    Maheshwar Singh (73), a scion of the erstwhile Kullu royal family who has been in politics for more than four decades, says royalties have long gone after Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time and they have no place in a democracy.

    Maheshwar Singh, who was replaced as the BJP candidate from Kullu after his son filed his nomination as an independent from the nearby Banjar seat, withdrew his nomination as an independent candidate in favour of the ruling party’s nominee.

    He said gone are the days of rajas and maharajas and in a democracy, only those who serve the electorate well will command respect from people.

    “These days, no one votes for you because you are a raja. They will respect you only as per your conduct. In a democracy, it is a disadvantage being a royal. People will only vote for you if you do their work and serve them well,” he told PTI.

    “I am just a ‘ghulam’ of Raghunathji and hold the Lord’s sacred ‘chhadi’ as his ‘chowkidar’ during Dussehra in accordance with tradition. I also deter people from addressing me as a raja,” he said.

    According to tradition, the scion of the erstwhile Kullu royal family holds the sacred “chhadi” of Lord Raghunath during the annual 10-day Dussehra festival.

    Ramesh, a small shopkeeper in Una’s Talliwal, says the “royals” continue to hold sway over the voters of the hill state as they are still revered by the locals.

    “How can one ignore the royals who have been the rulers in different kingdoms of Himachal Pradesh? They will continue to influence the common people,” he said.

    Ashok Kumar from Solan, however, feels that the “royals” had their sway in the past and now is the time for the common people to rule through merit.

    “No one can claim to be special these days because he was born in a royal family. It is merit that matters and anyone serving people well will be preferred,” he said.

    Rahul from Nalagarh says royalty is a passe now and asserts that politics has to be “clean” if the state and the country have to progress.

    Those with a clean record should come forward and honesty should be rewarded by people, he says.

    As the “royals” rough it out on the roads of Himachal, away from the comforts of their palaces, the BJP is cautioning the voters against the “feudal submission” to the “princely” candidates of the Congress.

    With political parties playing their own games in the run-up to the polls, voters also admit that royalty has deep roots in the rural hinterland of Himachal Pradesh.

    Whether the “royals” continue to hold a mighty sway on the hearts of voters, only time will tell.

    SHIMLA: Once reigning over principalities, the erstwhile royals of Himachal Pradesh are looking to retain their influence, not just contesting elections but also becoming a centre of debate.

    While the Congress has put its money on a number of former “royals” in the upcoming Assembly polls, the ruling BJP says there is no place for “rajas and ranis” in a democracy.

    The influence of the “royals” has, however, waned over the years, as is clear from their depleting numbers in the poll fray this time.

    Only a handful of them are contesting the Assembly election to be held on November 12.

    Virbhadra Singh, who hailed from the erstwhile Rampur Bushahr royal family, dominated the politics of the hill state for almost five decades.

    His son Vikramaditya is now in the fray from the Shimla Rural seat.

    Vikramaditya Singh’s mother Pratibha Singh, who hails from the erstwhile Keonthal royal family, is the president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress.

    She is not contesting the election as she is the MP from Mandi.

    Asha Kumari, the five-time MLA from Dalhousie, is married in the erstwhile royal family of Chamba.

    She has been nominated by the Congress this time as well.

    Incumbent MLA Anirudh Singh of the erstwhile Koti royal family is contesting again from Kasumpti.

    He is also a former chairman of the Shimla Zila Parishad.

    Another “royal” scion in the fray is Hiteshwar Singh as an independent from the Banjar constituency in Kullu.

    His father Maheshwar Singh, the “king” of the erstwhile Kullu kingdom, lost his ticket as his son threw his hat in the ring.

    The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised the pitch against the Congress, accusing it of being a party of “rajas and ranis”.

    The reference is to former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who ruled the state for decades and whose wife and son are still running the show for the grand old party.

    However, missing from the poll contest this time is Vijay Jyoti Sen of the erstwhile Keonthal royal family, who is also Pratibha Singh’s sister-in-law.

    Sen had contested the last Assembly polls from Kasumpti.

    She is supporting the BJP this time.

    Chandresh Kumari of the erstwhile Kangra royal family is also not there in this election.

    She had a sway once in both Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan as she hails from the erstwhile Jodhpur royal family.

    She has been a former minister in Himachal Pradesh and a former member of Parliament too.

    “Gone are the days of raja-rani, now is the time of the common people,” Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah had said while launching a tirade against royalty and the Congress at his poll rallies.

    Shah had also accused the Congress of being a party of “raja-rani” and said there is no place for “royals” in a democracy anymore.

    However, Anirudh Singh feels that for the current generation of voters, it does not matter whether one belongs to a “royal” family or not, what matters is one’s conduct.

    “If you work for people, people will develop a liking for you.

    If you stay like a commoner despite being from a royal family, people will prefer you and the liking will grow,” he told PTI.

    Maheshwar Singh (73), a scion of the erstwhile Kullu royal family who has been in politics for more than four decades, says royalties have long gone after Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time and they have no place in a democracy.

    Maheshwar Singh, who was replaced as the BJP candidate from Kullu after his son filed his nomination as an independent from the nearby Banjar seat, withdrew his nomination as an independent candidate in favour of the ruling party’s nominee.

    He said gone are the days of rajas and maharajas and in a democracy, only those who serve the electorate well will command respect from people.

    “These days, no one votes for you because you are a raja. They will respect you only as per your conduct. In a democracy, it is a disadvantage being a royal. People will only vote for you if you do their work and serve them well,” he told PTI.

    “I am just a ‘ghulam’ of Raghunathji and hold the Lord’s sacred ‘chhadi’ as his ‘chowkidar’ during Dussehra in accordance with tradition. I also deter people from addressing me as a raja,” he said.

    According to tradition, the scion of the erstwhile Kullu royal family holds the sacred “chhadi” of Lord Raghunath during the annual 10-day Dussehra festival.

    Ramesh, a small shopkeeper in Una’s Talliwal, says the “royals” continue to hold sway over the voters of the hill state as they are still revered by the locals.

    “How can one ignore the royals who have been the rulers in different kingdoms of Himachal Pradesh? They will continue to influence the common people,” he said.

    Ashok Kumar from Solan, however, feels that the “royals” had their sway in the past and now is the time for the common people to rule through merit.

    “No one can claim to be special these days because he was born in a royal family. It is merit that matters and anyone serving people well will be preferred,” he said.

    Rahul from Nalagarh says royalty is a passe now and asserts that politics has to be “clean” if the state and the country have to progress.

    Those with a clean record should come forward and honesty should be rewarded by people, he says.

    As the “royals” rough it out on the roads of Himachal, away from the comforts of their palaces, the BJP is cautioning the voters against the “feudal submission” to the “princely” candidates of the Congress.

    With political parties playing their own games in the run-up to the polls, voters also admit that royalty has deep roots in the rural hinterland of Himachal Pradesh.

    Whether the “royals” continue to hold a mighty sway on the hearts of voters, only time will tell.

  • 2017 convention followed in not announcing Himachal, Gujarat polls together: CEC

    Technically, it is still possible to hold Gujarat elections in the November-December period so that the votes could be counted on the same day as was the case in 2017.