Congress launches ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ campaign in Shimla
Munish Sood
MANDI: Rajni Patil, the Congress in-charge for Himachal Pradesh, on Friday (August 22, 2025) sought to deflect the matter and cited BJP chief JP Nadda’s example when questioned about the long delay of nine months in forming the party’s organisational structure.
“First of all, it has not even been six months since I was made the in charge of Himachal Pradesh — I was appointed in March. Secondly, why don’t you ask the BJP when will they remove JP Nadda from his post as he too has overshot his tenure?” said Patil in reply to a question raised by mediapersons.
Hitting back at Patil, the Himachal Pradesh BJP said that instead of dragging JP Nadda’s name, she should mind her own business and reveal why her party’s organisational restructuring wasn’t happening even though all committees were disbanded in November 2024.
Patil’s remarks came even as Congress MLAs and workers have also in the past publicly voiced their frustration over the inordinate delay in forming new state, district and block-level committees. Himachal Congress president Pratibha Singh is the only office-bearer currently left in the state organisation.
She’s deliberately avoiding question, says BJP’s Rakesh Jamwal
The comment quickly invited a sharp rebuttal from the BJP. Party’s state spokesperson Rakesh Jamwal, speaking to The Newz Radar, said Patil was “deliberately avoiding a serious question”. “Patil should know that the BJP elected its state president (Dr Rajeev Bindal) two months ago and the new president has already announced his new executive committee,” he said.
Jamwal said it would had been better had she directly addressed the media question. “The delay in the Congress’ organisational restructuring is not because of the BJP but because of infighting in the Congress and parallel lobbying by various factions,” he said. He said dragging JP Nadda’s name was uncalled for.
“Under JP Nadda’s leadership, the BJP has achieved major milestones in the last 10 years and strengthened the Narendra Modi government. Instead of answering for Congress’ shortcomings, Patil is trying to divert attention,” he said.
Congress launches ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ campaign
The controversy unfolded on the very day the Himachal Congress launched its ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ campaign. A rally was held outside the party headquarters in Shimla at noon, after the Congress Legislature Party met at Hotel Peterhoff to finalise its strategy for the event.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu chaired the meeting, which was attended by Patil, Pratibha Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and other senior leaders. Himachal co-incharge Chetan Chauhan and Vidit Chaudhary, all Congress MLAs, 2022 Assembly candidates, former PCC, district and block-level functionaries as well as leaders of frontal organisations were also present on the occasion.
The campaign is part of the All India Congress Committee’s nationwide agitation against alleged “vote theft” by the BJP.
Signature drive from September 15
As part of the programme, the Congress will conduct rallies across all blocks and districts, followed by a month-long signature campaign from September 15 to October 15.
PCC president Pratibha Singh said the party would use this movement to highlight how “the BJP, in collusion with the Election Commission, stole the mandate of the people and murdered democracy”.
With the campaign now underway in Himachal, the Congress is looking to build momentum for its nationwide agitation.
