Going by the buzz around, BJP is likely to form the government this time, not because the Congress has performed badly but the anti-incumbency factor will come largely into play. But you never know the Himachal voter. They have proved all calculations wrong in the past as well. But coming back to the main question… why does not Himachal count in national politics and is not taken seriously. The only prominent persons from Himachal to have made buzz at the national level have been former Chief Minister and late Thakur Ram Lal for all the wrong reasons, when he was the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Sukh Ram for his alleged telecom scam, former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar for his some harsh but forward looking policies as the Union Minister of Civil Supplies. These days, Anand Sharma makes a buzz at times.

In spite of the fact that Himachal counts high on GDP (Rs 25,435 crore) and a per capita income of Rs 33,805 in 2005-06 and a high literacy rate of above 90 per cent, Himachal matters least in national politics. Nobody cares. But why? Is it because the state is doing good and doesn’t need that noise. And good news is not news for media. Himachal just goes about its work without making any statements that might affect the national politics.

Let’s take point by point, why Himachal least counts to the national media and national politics:

1. Himachal just sends four MPs to the centre and the number is not enough to shake any government in the centre. Had it been even 10, it would have made a major difference. But four MPs are a meagre sum.

2. These MPs are mostly back-benchers and make least noise in the Parliament, don’t ask complicated questions, participate least in discussions and are media shy. Anand Sharma, by virtue of being the spokesperson for the Congress is the only person who at times does make small appearances in the national media. But as a matter of fact, he’s not in the Lok Sabha, but is a Rajya Sabha member.

3. Himachal is not divided by religion politics. So no anti-Hindu or anti-Muslim statements and no riots. So Virbhadra Singh does not get a chance to make a dig at Vajpayee or Advani. But even if he does, he’s ignored totally as his statements cannot change the metrics at the centre. Even if Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal make anti-Sonia remarks, they are ignored totally for the same reasons.

4. Himachal, I would say is not divided by caste politics too. Though most of the SC/STs tend to go with the Congress but if a BJP candidate is a local and has done well at the Panchayat level, and local level, they’ll not shy from voting for him.

5. Corruption is low, so no headlines and no hue and cry in the Parliament about that. No commissions set up to enquire into the level of corruption. The last time, such a big Commission was set-up, was to look into the telecom scam and a CBI raid at former Union Minister for telecom, Sukh Ram’s place.

6. Lack of dynamic leaders, who could make a difference at national politics or command a high berth in the Cabinet. The names can be counted on fingers. Shanta Kumar and Sukh Ram.

7. Crime too is low. No Nithari, no Nandigram, no Ram Setu project, so no national outrage or Parliament stalling and walkouts by the opposition. Even the political parties too do not make comments on these issue. The only incident I can remember is a candle light procession on the Mall against Nithari killings. That’s it. Though there are many SEZs earmarked in Himachal too, but the government itself has gone slow and is not adamant or high-handed against the opposition like in West Bengal.

8. No student movements. So no Naxalwadi village, which can start a revolutionary group. Though most of the students fancy a communist ideology (all credits to Rakesh Singha) while in school or college and university, however, once out of the educational arena, they are inducted in to the Congress fold. I’ve failed to understand the reason. CPI(M) has often been able to make its mark in Shimla only, once a while during Assembly elections or at the local Municipal Corporation. But outside Shimla, though SFI, the students’ wing of CPI(M) gets the majority of the seats in the Students’ Union elections, but cannot take beyond that. Any students’ protest is quelled by not putting them in jail. Himachal has found an innovative way to quell students’ rallies. Arrest them and instead of putting them in jail, take away their money and take them far away from Shimla in a remote area from where minimal public transport is available and let them walk back home. So no pressure on jails. And the parents too are against students’ protesting – “College padhne jaate ho ya…”

9. People are docile and contented with what they have and by virtue of higher per capita income, even the poverty line is just below 10 per cent. So nobody makes much noise.

10. The issues taken up in the elections, whether be for the Assembly or the Parliament are too local – sadak, schools, colleges, bridges, pensions, paani, bijli, jobs, subsidies and all. No tall promises of bringing in FDI or erection of the Ram Temple or destruction of the Ram Setu Temple. The people of Himachal have as such been not Vaishnavs, but Shaivittes and they have their own local deities to concentrate on. Even the local politics too is guided by local deities and not by major Gods like Ram, Krishna or Allah. Remember, the Ford village in Manali. The local deities held a Jagati Puchch to object against the project. Even a diktat was given to the CM, Virbhadra Singh to appear before the deity, which the CM turned down. Last year, Maheshwar Devta, a local deity of village Chagaon in district Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh took to the streets to protest against the proposed 1,000 MW Karcham-Wangtoo Hydropower Project. So Ram, Krishna temples or Masjids, which otherwise are a national issue, matter least to Himachalis.

If you feel, I have left out any points, don’t hesitate to add your comments below.