By IANS
Shimla : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) captured power in Himachal Pradesh Friday by defeating the Congress and declared that its victory was a clear sign of its national resurgence.
After delivering a second blow to the Congress in a week, BJP leaders said the verdicts in Himachal Pradesh and in Gujarat five days earlier proved that the Congress was bound to lose the Lok Sabha elections 18 months away.
The BJP won 41 of the 68 seats in the assembly while the Congress, a victim of poor governance and factionalism during the nearly five years it ruled the hill state, had to be content with 23 seats.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which has been rapidly spreading its wings across the country after storming to power in Uttar Pradesh in May, won a seat in Himachal Pradesh for the first time. Three independents also won.
BJP’s Prem Kumar Dhumal, 63, who won from Bamson constituency in Hamirpur district, will be the state’s new chief minister and take oath Sunday. A former English teacher in Punjab, he was chief minister from 1998 until 2003.
Congress Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, whose government faced a string of graft charges during the nearly five years he ruled the state, managed to retain his Rohru seat in Shimla district. But several Congress bigwigs were routed.
The outcome was a major setback for the Congress, which had bagged 43 seats in 2003.
A beaming BJP general secretary, Sushma Swaraj, gloated in New Delhi: “Our victory is not going to be limited to Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. These are trailers of the Lok Sabha election.”
Arun Jaitley, another BJP general secretary, added: “With the victory in Himachal, the (BJP-led) NDA (National Democratic Alliance) is in power in 10 states. Seven of them are with the BJP alone.”
Another party leader, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, said: “Himachal Pradesh will fuel our resurgence at the national level.”
The Himachal outcome overshadowed the celebrations of the Congress party’s foundation in 1885, leaving its members and supporters visibly disappointed and disgusted.
The BJP, which had remarkably retained power in Gujarat just five days ago, celebrated its latest victory with gusto in the state and the national capital.
BJP activists danced on the streets, waving flags, distributing sweets and raising slogans hailing Dhumal.
A relaxed Dhumal said the electorate had turned against the Congress on account of shooting prices of essential commodities, unemployment and corruption.
In New Delhi, a sombre Congress president Sonia Gandhi read out a condolence message for assassinated Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto during a brief visit to her party headquarters but did not answer questions about Himachal Pradesh.
Although the office was decked up with the party’s tricolour flags, it quickly became deserted as the election results poured in.
Many flags and carpets remained unused on the lawns of the 24 Akbar Road office, adjoining the residence of Sonia Gandhi.
Congress leaders put up a brave face.
“This is a vibrant democracy. Defeats and victories are part of it. We are all set to play a constructive role,” party secretary Tom Vadakkan said.
Himachal Congress leader Vidya Stokes said in Shimla: “Anti-incumbency was working against us.”
Stokes insisted that the Himachal verdict, which was widely expected, would not affect the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in New Delhi.
Party leaders said factionalism in the Congress as well as popular mood led to the rout.
Polling for a new Himachal assembly took place in two phases, on Nov 14 and Dec 19. A total of 336 candidates contested. The Congress and BJP fielded candidates in all 68 seats.