Religion, reservation, rozgar, and remittances - these form the foundation of BJP's plan to retain its throne in Himachal Pradesh.
As the saffron party tries to buck the trend of Himachalis changing the government every 5 years, let's take a look at what's new, and what's the same in BJP's 2017 and 2022 promises for the hill state.
Religion is always a major part of BJP's election campaign in all states. In Himachal in 2017, the party promised free Char Dham pilgrimage for senior citizens, and the creation of new religious tourism circuits. This year, the BJP is escalating the agenda by promising to implement the Uniform Civil Code in the state if it wins. The party has also said that it would conduct a survey of all Waqf properties to prevent their illegal use. There's also a scheme to spend ₹12,000 crore over 10 years to boost infrastructure and facilities near religious places.
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The BJP also places special emphasis on women voters. In 2017, the party promised to establish a 'Gudia' helpline at police stations, and set up a joint task force to check crimes against women. This year, the BJP says it will implement 33% reservation for women in government jobs and institutes. It will also provide interest-free loans to women entrepreneurs. 2 new girl hostels in each of the state's 12 districts will also be set up.
In a time of high inflation, there is greater pressure on the government to provide more jobs. In the last elections, the BJP had not announced any specific number of jobs that it would create. Instead, the party had promised to organise job fairs, and attract foreign investment. It had also said that interviews for Class III and IV jobs would be abolished. This year, the BJP has said that it would create 8 lakh job opportunities. Also, a ₹900-crore investment fund for startups would be set up. The BJP would also resolve discrepancies in government employee remuneration if it is re-elected.
Healthcare has become a major part of the development rhetoric because of the Covid pandemic. In 2017, the BJP's promises included provision of emergency healthcare services in remote areas and initiation of helicopter ambulance services. This time, the party is more ambitious, with a promise to set up five new medical colleges. The BJP has also said that it would double the number of mobile clinic vans operating in the state.
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Farmers are a group that every party tries to woo. In 2017, the BJP tried to do this with promises to take steps to double farmers' income by 2022. This included subsidies and installation of anti-hail guns to protect crops. This time, the party has said that it would give ₹3,000 cash to farmers every year, over-and-above the ₹6,000 that are given by the Central government. The BJP is also promising to provide GST relief on apple packaging.
In hilly areas, road connectivity is a big issue. In 2017, the saffron party promised all-weather road connectivity in all villages. While announcing the 2022 manifesto, BJP chief JP Nadda said that in 5 years, 6,000 km of rural roads have been made. However, the promise appears unfulfilled as this year too, the party has said that its government would spend ₹5,000 crore for linking all villages with all-weather roads.
The next big issue is security, and law and order. In 2017, the BJP claimed that the criminals were running amok under the Congress government. So, the party had promised to establish a 24x7 helpline in the Chief Minister's Office to report crimes. The BJP had also said that it would set up a task force against drug mafia. This year, the party has focused on national security, promising higher compensation for families of soldiers killed in the line of duty.
Students are another community that parties try to win over, especially with freebies. In 2017, the BJP said that it would give laptops to students, and provide free Wi-Fi facilities in institutes. It had also promised free education to children from families below the poverty line (BPL). This year, the BJP has said that it would give bicycles to girl students who are in classes 6 to 12. Women pursuing higher education will get scooters.
For daily amenities, the BJP promised drinking water pipelines in every house in 2017. This time, the party is promising 3 free LPG cylinders for poor households. Under its development agenda in 2017, the party said that it would increase the compensation given for land acquired by the government for development projects. This year, among other things, the BJP has said that it would install early warning systems in 300 landslide-prone areas.
Himachal Pradesh is slated to vote on 12 November, and results will be declared on 8 December.
It might be a small state, but with parties already preparing for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP knows that every victory matters. It remains to be seen whether the party's performance and new promises are enough to reverse Himachal's trend of defeating the incumbent.