Ahead of Himachal elections, 26 Congress leaders switch to BJP
As the state Assembly elections are inching closer in Himachal Pradesh, the competition appears to be skewing toward the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a major setback to the Congress, 26 leaders of the party switched over to the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Monday. Notably, Himachal Pradesh is set to go to polls on Saturday. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
A close contest between the BJP and the Congress was speculated earlier in Himachal Pradesh, as factionalism was rife in both parties. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won 44 out of 68 seats, while Congress won 21 seats. Apart from the two big national parties, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also trying to cement its foothold in the Himalayan state now.
Ex-PCC General Secretary Dharampal Thakur Khand also switched over
Congress leaders who jumped ship included former Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary Dharampal Thakur Khand. In the presence of BJP's state elections in-charge, Sudhan Singh, and BJP's poll candidate from Shimla, Sanjay Sood, CM Thakur welcomed the turncoats saying, "Let us work together for the historic victory of the BJP." Earlier, BJP National President JP Nadda lauded Thakur for his ground implementation of policies.
CM Thakur gave a warm welcome to ex-Congress leaders
Will implement Uniform Civil Code if we win: Nadda
Earlier, Nadda released the BJP's poll manifesto for the Himachal Assembly elections on Sunday, saying that the party will implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state if voted back to power. He also said a committee of experts would be formed for the same. CM Thakur, state party chief Suresh Kashyap, and Union Minister Anurag Thakur were present at the event.
Pro-incumbency a factor for BJP
Earlier, opinion polls showed that BJP could lose some seats but still retain power in the state nonetheless, with Thakur being the most preferred choice among people, as per the ABP News CVoter survey. Meanwhile, the vote share of the AAP is expected to increase at the expense of both the BJP and Congress, but it could still struggle to win a seat.
