Sukhu Government Will Pay Political Price for Neglecting Mandi, Lotus Will Bloom in MC Polls: Jai Ram Thakur
2 min read
Mandi, May 12: Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur launched a sharp attack on the Congress government during the ongoing campaign for the Mandi Municipal Corporation elections, alleging that the Sukhu-led government had deliberately neglected the town and stalled its development.
Addressing a series of public meetings and interacting with media persons, Jai Ram Thakur accused the state government of practising regional discrimination against Mandi. He said the Congress government started “halting the development of Mandi” immediately after coming to power and alleged that projects and priorities meant for the town were systematically withdrawn.
The BJP leader claimed that the people of Mandi were fully aware of what he termed as “step-motherly treatment” by the government and would give a strong response in the upcoming civic elections. He expressed confidence that BJP would once again secure a clear majority in the Municipal Corporation elections.
As part of the election campaign, Jai Ram Thakur conducted public outreach programmes in Ward No. 6 Sanyard, Ward No. 9 Palace Colony-2, Ward No. 10 Suhra and Ward No. 8 Palace Colony-1, appealing to voters to support BJP candidates in all 14 wards of the Municipal Corporation.
During his interactions, he highlighted BJP’s development agenda, welfare schemes of the Central Government and the party’s commitment towards transparent governance and civic development.
Targeting Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Jai Ram Thakur questioned his leadership and decision-making ability, alleging that the government frequently reverses its own decisions due to lack of planning and clarity.
However, he welcomed the state government’s campaign against drug abuse and said BJP would support all genuine efforts to curb the menace, while urging the government to bring more consistency and firmness in its policies.
On tourism development, Jai Ram Thakur praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to promote domestic tourism and said Himachal Pradesh had immense tourism potential. Referring to the ambitious Shivdham project in Mandi, he alleged that the current government halted the project out of political rivalry despite its potential to strengthen religious tourism and the local economy.
During the campaign, around 20 members from the Muslim community reportedly joined BJP in the presence of Jai Ram Thakur after leaving Congress and other parties. He welcomed them into the party during programmes held in Bhagwahan, Mangwai, Samkhetar, Sanyard and Palace Colony areas.
Jai Ram Thakur claimed that while BJP had won 11 out of 15 seats in the previous elections, public enthusiasm this time indicated an even bigger victory for the party. BJP district president Nihal Chand Sharma and several senior party leaders were also present during the campaign.
