Ground report: BJP own misdeeds may cost party in Nalagarh

Ruling BJP seems to be in deep trouble due to its own missed in the industrial hub Nalagarh Assembly Constituency as it seems to have disturbed the equations among party cadre by putinga an outsider in fray. Sitting cong MLA Lakhwinder Singh Rana has been given ticket here after inducting him in BJP. The decision can back fire the party as it was facing revolt against Rana. The BJP asparaint KL Thakur has made the contest risky for the ruling party, here.

Before the election BJP was trying to make the winning of Cong MLA a big news which now seems like a disaster as the fight has not only become triangular but risky for the saffron party.

Till Harinarayan Sani, Nalagarh was considered BJP  bastion. It was Hari Narayan Saini a former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar’s Loyalist who made BJP stronghold in the constituency and won  this seat countinously in 1998, 2003 and 2007. But in 2007 the then Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal did not induct him in the cabinet in spite that he was a senior MLA. He died in 2011.

In the bye election held in 2012, Rana defeated BJP Candidate Gurnam Kaur wife of Late Hari Narayan Saini.  The party lost its strong hold recently from Rana in 2017 as he wrestled seat from the party. Rana joined public life from student politics. He remained affiliated with right wing students outfit and also held many posts in BJP. Later on he  switched over to Congress and won in 2011 by elections and in 2012 he was defeated by BJP’s K L Thakur with a narrow margin.

The local residents told us that high probability of tough fight is there on the seat. KL Thakur who was dumped by the BJP vis a vis to Congress rebel assured to pose a tough competition for both the mainstream partiess.

However there are total eight candidate in fray but Congress’s Hardip Singh Bawa , BJP’s LS Rana and Independent KL Thakur seemed to be top contestent in a neck to neck fight.

Electoral profile of Nalagarh AC have total 92746 voters including 47501-male, 44243-female and two 3rd gender.

Local residents Yashpal said that infrastructure and garbage & swerage management.Roads, Health, Pollution and unemployment are big public issues. Despite being Industrial hub Pinjore-baddi-Nalagarh kiratpur which is main strech of Chandigarh-Manali National Highway no-3 is in shambles. Despite BJP made promises to link Baddi with Railway did not move an inch. Also, BJP making high claims of bringing Drugs and Device parks in the Industrial area did not appeal to common Voter. BJP which have given top priority to provide 80 pc jobs in industrial units couldn’t fulfill previous election promise.

Retired principal from Education Department Charan Singh said that OPS is one of the biggest issue in this election.Manoj Verma said according to him it seemed fight between BJP rebel KL Thakur and Congress.

Local vendors Kanwal Deep Singh and his wife Mandeep Singh feel that not only OPS but other issues affected them in election. There should be equal rights of govt and business opportunity to people and state resources should be used in parity.

A 90 yrs old resident of Gole Market K R Puri said that promise was made to make Nalagarh a district however poltical parties could not fulfil it. He said that Nalagarh Zonal Hospital facing acute shortage of staff especially doctors despite being Subdivision level Hospital only three doctors are being posted here as most important key specialist are not here.

Dheeraj Gautam says that fight is between KL Thakur and Bawa as strong emotions againsit Rana among BJP cadre. Navneet Bhardwaj and Deep Singh members of Asia’s largest truck Union said that BBN Truck union are not happy with Jai Ram Thakur Government because of a decision against local truck operators.