With a two-party system firmly in place in the state, Himachal’s voters had been alternating between the Congress and the BJP ever since the state attained full statehood in 1971. The only exception was in 1993, when mid-term elections were held and the then Congress chief minister, Virbhadra Singh, had taken the calculated risk of seeking the dissolution of assembly about a year before its term was to expire. That was the only time the voters gave a split verdict and although Virbhadra Singh formed the government with the help of defectors, the government did not last long.

This time there are some interesting straws in the wind, though. For the first time ever, the BSP is making a concerted effort to gain a foothold here. Will Maya be able to alter the bi-polar pattern of power in Himachal? For that we will have to wait until the results come in later this month.