Himachal Pradesh Elections: Congress and BJP Clash Over Candidacy

Shimla/Mandi, May 9 – Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh stated that the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha by-polls in the state are a contest between deceit, dishonesty, and honesty, with honesty prevailing. He announced the nomination of Vikramaditya Singh, a young and experienced leader, from the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, contrasting BJP’s selection of a film actress for the same constituency. He criticized BJP for fielding an actress who has been shooting films in various areas wearing disguises for a month, supervised by Director Jayram Thakur, who also serves as her spokesperson.

Addressing a large crowd at the Seri Manch in Mandi before Vikramaditya Singh’s nomination, Sukhu claimed that the previous Congress government in the state had improved the economy by shutting down all corrupt practices of the BJP regime. He alleged that the BJP government had left the state’s economy in shambles, burdening it with loans exceeding 70,000 crores and outstanding liabilities over 10,000 crores. However, the Congress government fulfilled its promises by reinstating the old pension scheme for employees and ensuring a guaranteed minimum of 1500 rupees for women.

He further accused BJP of being anti-employee and anti-women, highlighting their attempts to withhold the honorarium of 1500 rupees for women and diverting a portion of the state government employees’ 9,000 crore allocation from the central government. He emphasized that the six tainted former BJP MLAs have shattered the trust of the people, while Jayaram Thakur’s attempts to destabilize the state government through Operation Lots failed, resulting in the removal of six MLAs from the Assembly.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri asserted that Vikramaditya Singh, as the son of former MPs Veerbhadra Singh and Pratibha Singh, does not rely on introductions. He stated that while Vikramaditya represents the Congress’s legacy of public service, his opponent, the actress, is a newcomer to politics. Agnihotri predicted a victory for Vikramaditya Singh based on the overwhelming support from the public.

Rajiv Shukla, a member of the All India Congress Committee, urged party workers to canvass tirelessly for Vikramaditya Singh, citing the overwhelming response from the public as evidence of his victory. He called for a united effort to ensure Singh’s success in the upcoming polls.

Expressing gratitude for the support, Vikramaditya Singh reaffirmed his commitment to serve the people of Mandi and transform the constituency into an exemplary parliamentary district. He acknowledged the debt of love and respect owed to the people of the state, pledging to continue working towards their welfare.