The climate turning snowy with the mercury plummeting fast, the political temperature of the poll-bound state is, however, on the rise. The ticket hopefuls of both the major parties-Congress and BJP-are being kept on the guessing mode with their fingers crossed while the senior leaders are engrossed in giving final touches to the political strategies to be adopted to outsmart the rivals.
The state Congress insiders say that the party’s candidate list unlikely to be cleared before the vice- president Rahul Gandhi returns from abroad by January 10, the patience of the ticket aspirants is running thin. However, the state top brass of the party is engaged in collecting information about the credentials of the ticket hopefuls from the grassroots. “Several sources are being used on the matter.
Besides, we are seeking assistance from the poll strategist Prashant Kishore,” said a state Congress leader.
Observers say that the ruling party of the state is emulating the model of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). “It might prove a good move as the Assembly elections here are influenced more by the grass root credibility of the candidates rather than by the issues involved,” said an observer.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that CM Harish Rawat and PCC president Kishore Upadhaya have met the senior Congress leader Kumari Selja in Delhi on Saturday and talked about the candidates’ list. “However, interestingly, the list sent by the state party chief to the party high command stands at variance with the one over which discussion was held.
It is learnt that Upadhaya is angry with the changes incorporated in the list to placate the CM and his loyalists,” said a party leader while insisting on anonymity.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders were busy on Saturday with the national executive council meeting. “The list is likely to be released only after Makar Sankranti. The nomination process starting from January 20, the ticket seekers are camping in Delhi,” said a BJP insider.
Besides, social media giving BJP’s list containing all the party’s sitting MlAs and only two of the dissident Congress leaders who later switched to BJP has created flutters in the state’s political circles.
This is what is leaving the followers of the dissidents-turned-BJP leaders restless. True, the party’s top brass is trying its best to scotch speculations triggered by a section of the social media, saying that the list was far from finalized. But things are turning mercurial for the party which is all-out to wrest power from Congress.