Anti-incumbency is BJP MP Anurag Thakur’s biggest challenge

He may have scored a ‘duck’ in his debut and only first class cricket match, where he was the captain of the team, the chief of state cricket body and also chairman of selection panel, but he has an impressive run on the political pitch. As he readies to seek mandate for the fourth term, Anurag Thakur’s biggest challenge is anti-incumbency.

Taking over the reins of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), until then mostly a defunct body, at an age of 25 in 2000, Anurag Thakur was the sole force behind what now is one of world’s finest cricket stadiums in the lap of snow-capped Dhauladhar mountain range at Dharamshala.

Later, the elder son of two-term former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, would propel himself to Parliament using this stadium as the launch pad to become an influential politician. Anurag was first elected to the lower house in the May 2008 byelection from Hamirpur, which was vacated by his father who would return to become CM for the second time. He wrested the seat by a margin of around 1.75 lakh votes and won the seat again twice — in 2009 and 2014.

Stint at BCCI

He seemed in a rush to reach the top. Apart from being an MP, Anurag was elected as joint secretary of BCCI, secretary in 2014 and in 2016 was elected as its president — often described as the most powerful position in cricket because of India’s financial muscle in the sport. Anurag has had a dream run — all in a decade.

His stint as the BCCI president was cut short by a Supreme Court after finding him guilty of negligence in implementing Lodha Committee reforms. The apex court also found him prima facie guilty of ‘perjury’ and ‘contempt of court’ and issued a show-cause notice to him in this matter. Though he tendered an unconditional apology, it was an embarrassing situation for both him and his party. Soon, the party would unceremoniously remove him as the BJYM chief.

Anurag has been an active member of the House, taking part in debates and raising issues of both state and national interest.

“It is due to my efforts that work on the Nangal-Una-Talwara rail link was expedited and Union railway ministry also approved Una-Hamirpur rail line,” says Anurag Thakur. “Work on premier institutions, including AIIMS and Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), started during my tenure,” he adds.

He also claims credit for getting the Una-Hamirpur railway line sanctioned and 25 national highways okayed for his segment. “I have also launched new initiatives like Saansad Mobile Hospital and Saansad Khel Mahakhumbh,” he said.

His opponents, however, term Anurag an utter failure. Sujanpur legislator Rajinder Rana says, “The projects he claims credit for were all sanctioned by the previous Congress-led UPA government. Before being sacked from the BCCI, he was involved more in cricket than in his constituency. He still remains inaccessible for his electorates.”

No tough challenge

In 2014, Anurag was pitted against Rajinder Singh Rana, a one-time protégé of Prem Kumar Dhumal, in a tough battle but sailed through owing to the Modi wave. Now, it’s Rana’s son Abhishek Rana who is staking claim for Congress ticket from the segment. Other ticket contenders from Congress include former minister Anita Verma and former Bilaspur legislator Bambar Thakur. However, none of them has a strong vote base across the constituency expect in a few pockets.

In recent times the young MP has brought a drastic change in his behaviour. He is more active in his constituency and touring it extensively.

BJP president Amit Shah’s recent rally in his constituency has given a much-needed boost to Anurag Thakur’s campaign and it will be tough for Congress to defeat him unless the opposition party fields a strong candidate.