Vikramaditya Singh Promises Permanent Army Recruitment and Resolution of OROP Discrepancies
2 min read
Mandi, May 26, 2024 – Vikramaditya Singh, Congress candidate and Public Works Minister from the Mandi parliamentary constituency, has assured that the India Alliance government will revert to permanent recruitment in the army, replacing the Agniveer scheme. Addressing the discrepancies in the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme, he promised its proper implementation to ensure all army personnel benefit fully. Singh also committed to advocating for the formation of a Himachal Regiment in the army.
Speaking at election rallies in Baldwara, Sarkaghatta Gonta, and Dhalwan in the Sarkaghat assembly, Singh criticized the BJP candidate for resorting to regionalism to garner votes. He highlighted that while the BJP candidate now claims to be Mandi’s daughter, she never identified as such before. He emphasized his approach to politics as being inclusive, stating he sees himself as a son of the entire state, not just a particular region.
Singh accused the BJP candidate of lacking political vision and highlighted her absence during the state’s crisis, alleging she was occupied with her film projects. He stated that politics is about service and staying connected with the people, a sentiment he claimed the BJP candidate does not embody.
Singh underscored that his campaign is focused on issues, unlike the BJP, which he accused of evading them. He highlighted the achievements of the Congress government, such as implementing the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for employees and the monthly pension of Rs 1500 for women. He criticized the BJP for being anti-employee and anti-women, claiming they opposed these initiatives.
Singh expressed his goal of making the Mandi parliamentary constituency exemplary and promised to bring back over Rs 9000 crore in employee contributions. He credited former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for the development in Sarkaghat and criticized the BJP candidate for being unaware of local issues due to her residence in Mumbai.
Former Minister and senior Congress leader Rangila Ram Rao and CPM leader and former Deputy Mayor of Shimla, Tikender Panwar, also spoke at the rallies. They urged the people to vote for Vikramaditya Singh, describing him as the future of Himachal politics and a strong voice for the state. Panwar emphasized the significant contributions of Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar and Virbhadra Singh to the state’s development and expressed confidence in the India Alliance’s victory.
Rao highlighted that Vikramaditya Singh will remain in the state to serve as their MP, contrasting this with the BJP candidate’s likely return to Mumbai post-election. Panwar added that the India Alliance is strongly contesting these elections and that Vikramaditya Singh will be a robust representative for Himachal Pradesh in the national government.
