The Congress has sprung a big surprise by winning the Himachal Pradesh election. At stake was not only power in the hill state but also a chance to upend the state’s political tradition of voting out the incumbent. Having done it once in Uttarakhand earlier this year, the BJP believed it could bank on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity, its development agenda, and the lack of a popular opposition face to secure a second consecutive term. The saffron party pumped in huge money to try to win the election.
The victory in the hill state can be a source of inspiration for the beleaguered grand old party. The Congress has been struggling to match the BJP since Modi came to power. With resources available and charismatic Modi leading it, the saffron party is way ahead of the Congress.
In Himachal, the party runs a grassroots campaign aimed at exploiting the anti-incumbency sentiment against the state government. The low-key campaign concentrated on reaching out to the public as much as possible. Except for Priyanka Gandhi, none of the other Gandhis campaigned in the state. The focus was on local leadership. This model can be replicated in other states. If the Congress has to win, it has to empower local leadership and extend all possible support. The party has to agree that central leadership has failed to win votes. If it wishes to put up a fight with the BJP, it has to do it at the state level.