The Newz Radar
Former Himachal Pradesh Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur, whose name too had figured among the party’s probable candidates for the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, talks to The Newz Radar on why he opted out and how much chances Congress nominee Vikramaditya Singh has against actor and BJP’s high-profile choice Kangana Ranaut.
Q: Were you leading in the race for the Mandi parliamentary seat ticket? What circumstances led you to opt out or were you sidelined?
A: Nobody sidelined me. When sitting MP Pratibha Singh refused to contest the elections, she recommended my name to the Congress high command. Even our state in-charge Rajeev Shukla called me up, but I wasn’t prepared for it and said no. Even Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal called me up asking why I refused to contest, but I told him it was my personal decision.
Q: How big a challenge does the Congress consider Kangana Ranaut?
A: Kangana is not a significant challenge for the Congress. The issue today is not what Kangana writes on social media or how she misleads people, but the issue is what’s her contribution to Himachal. What help did she provide to the people during the 2023 rain devastation? She lacks historical knowledge or political experience and only knows how to change clothes and pose for photos.
She claims that she got freedom after 2014, which is a direct insult to her ancestors who were freedom fighters. She is the same actress who had demanded a hefty sum to become the brand ambassador of Himachal Pradesh, something then Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur couldn’t fulfill. Kangana, who sometimes calls PM Modi Ram’s incarnation and sometimes Vishnu’s, will be sent back to Mumbai after the elections.
Q: It has been observed in the past that though the Congress initially attracts people in parliamentary elections, Modi sways the poll outcome for the BJP by holding two-three rallies in the end. Isn’t that so?
A: There was a time when Modi’s charisma worked, but that period is over. Modi’s charisma is over and people are fed up with him. Modi hasn’t been able to fulfill the promises he made to the people in 2014. He is the most deceitful Prime Minister India has ever had. Modi has made no contribution to Himachal Pradesh. He hasn’t done anything for Himachal Pradesh.
Despite several requests, he didn’t provide any package to Himachal Pradesh after such a huge disaster. In such a scenario, how can the BJP expect anyone to vote for them? When Manmohan Singh stepped down as the Prime Minister in 2014, the country had a debt of Rs 55 lakh crore, which has now increased to Rs 205 lakh crore.
Q: So, you want to say that this time Modi’s rallies won’t make any difference in Himachal?
A: Absolutely not. The way Modi’s party BJP tried to topple the government in Himachal will cost them dear. Jai Ram Thakur is living in a fool’s paradise and dreaming during the day of forming government in Himachal after the Assembly bypolls. He neither has majority nor any hope of a majority. The BJP should stop daydreaming.
Q: Jai Ram repeatedly says that as soon as the Congress came to power, all development works in Mandi stopped, for which they will have to pay in these elections?
A: Jai Ram has been the most extravagant Chief Minister of the state so far. He started big projects in Mandi without allocating funds and now those projects had to be shut down. Due to his wasteful spending, the state is drowning in debt.
