Hope Cong declares Himachal candidates before elections conclude: Jai Ram takes jibe over delay

Claims BJP to form govt in state after June 4

The Newz Radar

CHAMBA: Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has taken a swipe at the Congress by saying that he hoped the party would announce its candidates before the Lok Sabha poll and Assembly byelections to six seats concluded on June 1.

The BJP has announced all its candidates whereas the Congress has been able to declare nominees only in Mandi and Shimla (SC) parliamentary constituencies. The ruling party is yet to finalise candidates for Kangra and Hamirpur Lok Sabha seats and Dharamshala, Sujanpur, Kutlehar, Gagret, Barsar and Lahaul-Spiti Assembly segments.

“The Congress is struggling to find suitable candidates in Hamirpur and Kangra. The BJP hopes candidates are found before the elections,” said Jai Ram while addressing journalists in Dalhousie.

Jai Ram claimed that the BJP-led NDA government would be forming the government at the Centre for the third time. He said the basis of the claim were the reports of various surveys conducted in the country. He said the CVoter survey had shown “BJP’s victory in all four seats of Himachal”.

The former Chief Minister said byelections to the three seats represented by Independent MLAs — Nalagarh, Dehra and Hamirpur—were also expected to be held along with other Himachal elections on June 1. “After June 4 when results are declared, the BJP will form government in the state as the Congress regime will be reduced to minority.

Whenever the BJP speaks of change of power in Himachal, the Congress cannot digest it. A majority of Congress MLAs are angry with their government and have raised their issues inside and outside the Assembly, but Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu poked fun. By giving cabinet status to his friends who could never get elected, the CM remained busy while the elected MLAs waited outside his room.

This led to a political turmoil in Himachal, due to which the MLAs supported the BJP,” he said.
Among others, Jai Ram was accompanied by BJP candidate from Kangra Rajiv Bhardwaj, Dalhousie MLA DS Thakur, BJP district president Dheeraj Narayal and former state planning board member Manoj Chadha.