On the Atal Chowk in Tissa of Churah, an SC reserved constituency in Chamba district, the each day hustle bustle is on — shopkeepers round busy of their work, teams of scholars and a few others ready for a bus. For as soon as, one might be lulled into pondering that the elections could also be the very last thing within the minds of the folks right here. However nothing might be farther from the reality.
A bit of over two years in the past, the chowk in Tissa, was christened after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Bang within the center stands a shining statue of the previous PM. Within the backdrop, are a number of posters of PM Narendra Modi, making a vote enchantment for Hans Raj (39), two-time native BJP MLA, in fray once more. Pitted towards him is Congress’s Yashwant Singh Khanna (43), a first-timer, and a authorities instructor who has resigned to contest polls.
Modi’s marketing campaign hoarding close to the Atal Chowk at Tissa in Churah constituency in Chamba. (Categorical Photograph by Gurmeet Singh)
The posters round Atal Chowk have Modi wearing Churah’s conventional apparel. The vote enchantment reads: “Churah ke libaas mein Modi, bholey ke vishwaas mein Modi..” (Modi in Churah’s conventional apparel, Modi in religion of Lord Shiva),
The temper of voters in Tissa, a city that witnessed an alleged rape incident taking a communal colour and subsequent violence forward of 2017 Himachal Pradesh meeting polls, appears to be removed from the scene on the floor. Whilst BJP flags hold exterior nearly each store close to the chowk, the voters right here are usually not silent— with the undercurrents of anger over pending growth works and lack of fundamental facilities clearly seen, and in unison.
Whereas folks assert that they’ve immense respect for Vajpayee, the electoral temper nevertheless will not be within the favor of the ruling occasion— the prime cause being the failure to handle native points, regardless of Churah electing BJP MLA for 2 consecutive phrases.
Standing close to the Vajpayee statue, Mohammad Nizamuddin quips, “Vajpayee saab was a pacesetter, he labored for the folks…He by no means instigated folks of various communities towards one another.We respect him, however it doesn’t imply we will respect everybody from his occasion.”
A last yr BA pupil at native authorities faculty, Babita says: “There are not any lecturers in our faculty. More often than not, lectures are only a time move. A number of requests had been made to the MLA to get workers recruited however nothing has occurred in previous years. For science and commerce streams there are not any lecturers in any respect. There may be not even an ultrasound and X-ray facility on the native authorities hospital. There are machines however no workers to function them.”
Pitching in, Ashraf Ali says: “Vajpayee saab would have been happier had the MLA targeted on fixing native points right here. Each Congress and BJP leaders tried to divide communities for their very own profit however folks had been smart sufficient to go for concord. Go to the federal government hospital and they aren’t outfitted to do an ultrasound or an X-ray. Sufferers must go to Chamba or Tanda for such small issues. Authorities colleges listed here are with out lecturers.”
“Nobody will object to BJP flags exterior their retailers as a result of occasion employees are additionally locals, however voters are smart now. Most youths from Tissa are migrating to Shimla or different states. What’s using a school which doesn’t have lecturers? Even a tetanus injection isn’t out there in native hospital in an emergency,” says Suresh Kumar, sitting at his vegetable store close to Atal Chowk. “Everybody respects Vajpayee however that isn’t going to assist in fixing points we face on a regular basis,” he provides.
Kumar’s pal Raj Mohammad provides: “Roads have been made right here however what about faculty, faculty, hospital.. mere constructing will not be a school, there needs to be lecturers to show. Many college students drop out after class 12 as they can’t go to different cities to pursue commencement..”
Elected twice in 2012 and 2017, BJP’s Hans Raj is going through sturdy anti-incumbency waves in his constituency, the place many are vouching for Congress’s Khanna.
An area shopkeeper Janam Singh provides: “Some Congress employees had began calling the chowk as Gandhi Chowk and had been proposing to place a statue of Indira Gandhi. Quickly, a Vajpayee statue was introduced in and put in right here in a rush. Nobody has a problem with that as a result of he was a tall determine who did quite a bit for the nation.”