Simmering anger against the incumbent government in Himachal Pradesh and an internal rebellion within the BJP have triggered concern in the saffron party ahead of the Assembly elections.

The hill state, scheduled to vote on November 12, has a long record of alternating between the BJP and the Congress. However, the current saffron party leadership is determined to buck the trend by capitalising on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “double engine sarkar” slogan.

“Surveys conducted by us have shown that most voters are upset with the performance of the Jairam Thakur government and want a change,” a party leader managing the polls on the ground said.

Based on the surveys, the BJP leadership decided to change many sitting candidates, fuelling large-scale rebellion, the leader added.

“Many who were denied tickets have filed nominations as Independents and are not ready to withdraw,” the leader said, fearing that this could hit the party hard.

According to reports from the ground, around 20 BJP rebels have filed nominations against their official nominees.

Sensing danger from the rebels, BJP president JP Nadda has been camping in his home-state for the last many days to try and win over the disgruntled leaders. So far, however, he hasn’t been successful with the rebels continuing to challenge official BJP nominees on seats in Nadda’s home-district Bilaspur.

Besides the unpopularity of the Jairam Thakur government, the BJP leadership is grappling with determined efforts of Union minister Anurag Singh Thakur to regain his family’s claim over the state.

Anurag is the son of former Himachal Pradesh chief minister and party stalwart Prem Kumar Dhumal, who was denied the state’s top post after the 2017 polls. Dhumal was projected as the face of the party but was not made the chief minister after he lost the polls. Jairam Thakur was picked to head the state in a surprise move.

Despite reports of anti-incumbency, the BJP leadership refused to go for a change of the chief minister ahead of the polls. “But now, Dhumal’s son Anurag is eyeing the chief minister’s post and this has led to serious internal wranglings in the party,” a leader said.

“The party is divided into two clear camps, one supporting the incumbent chief minister and the other Anurag,” another BJP leader said.

Anurag, according to people close to him, has set up his secretariat in the state and has been canvassing extensively to prove his family’s popularity in the state and claim full credit if the BJP manages to retain power.

Dhumal was determined to contest the Sujanpur Assembly seat that he had lost last time but the leadership refused to entertain him to avoid divisions in the party. However, many feel it hasn’t helped.

Party managers in Delhi said the BJP’s hope of retaining the state lay on the complete disarray in the Congress, the principal challenger, and the Aam Aadmi Party dividing the anti-incumbency votes.

Virbhadra Singh’s widow Pratibha, who is not seen as a credible challenger, is leading the Congress.

The Congress is also facing rebellion, with some key party leaders joining the BJP.

The AAP had initially generated a lot of buzz in the state but seems to have shifted its focus on Gujarat, the other state going to polls this year.

“We might be able to retain the state because the Opposition lacks the will and a face to defeat us,” a BJP leader said.