BJP Will Win All Four Seats In Himachal – Dhumal

Shimla: Failings of UPA government and achievements of BJP state government would be the issue with which the party would seek votes, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal stated here on Monday, asserting that they would win all four seats in Himachal.

Speaking to the media, Dhumal counted terrorism, price rise, rising unemployment, corruption and lowering of the country’s image globally as the failings of the Manmohan Singh led UPA government’s five year term in office.

BJP would go to the people with a positive agenda based on the development strides made in 15 months when we formed the government and bring out the failures of the central government, he said.

The chief minister brushed aside considering the Lok Sabha election a referendum on the state government saying, “a general parliamentary poll is a referendum on the UPA government.”

He charged UPA government with suppressing facts related to rising unemployment after the global meltdown.

“A survey about number of job losses was withdrawn at the behest of the central government,” he said.

The chief minister said that despite the state assembly having adopted an unanimous resolution for seeking calamity relief against the Rs 2000 crore damages suffered during rains, last year, the central government had not released anything to mitigate problems of the affected.

In its very first year in office, the UPA government in 2003 curtailed the 10 year industrial package for Himachal to 5 years and was later extended to 2010, said Dhumal. Terming the decision as discriminatory, he added that the package devolved by the then Vajpayee government was at par with that meant for North Eastern states.

“Barring Himachal and Uttrakhand, which happen to be opposition ruled state, all others continue to draw benefits of the package that was initially meant for all Himalayan states, he said.

Evading a direct response to a question about promoting dynastic politics, Dhumal said, “you can give a ticket but it is the people who ultimately elect a person.”

He also added that congress takes a dichotomous stand on the issue, saying, “While the party promotes Rahaul Gandhi, it points accusing fingers at others.”

Responding to former chief minister Virbhadra Singh’s public statements, Dhumal said that he did not want to comment on what compulsions were making the former chief minister enter the fray from Mandi seat. “But why is a sitting MP shying from contest the seat,” he questioned.

On congress having obtained rights to use of film Slumdog Millionaire’s ‘Jai Ho’ salutation song, he said that slums were a legacy of the congress party as it had ruled the country for the longest period. “A song from such film may be the ideal of congress party, but does the country want to stay that way, said Dhumal.

Ravinder Makhaik

As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.

In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.