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Modi will win: Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur
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Vishal Gulati | 13 May, 2019
There is no anti-incumbency against the sitting BJP lawmakers in the Lok
Sabha elections, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur says.
Rather there is more "josh" (zeal) this time to win with bigger margins
and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name alone will win Bharatiya Janata
Party the Lok Sabha elections. "All other issues are secondary to
Modiji", he says.
For him, the BJP governments both at the Centre and the states would fire up the development engine.
"Modiji
is all encompassing -- his name is enough to win us the election. All
other issues are secondary. Our MPs have strengthened Modiji's hand at
the Centre. They have done their part and they were instrumental in
taking projects to Parliament," the 54-year-old Chief Minister told IANS
in an interview here.
He said the state government is here to
boost development. "There is no anti-incumbency against our two sitting
MPs, rather more 'josh' this time to gain bigger margins."
The
hill state, whose economy is highly dependent on hydroelectric power,
horticulture and tourism, will go to the polls on May 19 (in the last
phase) for the four Lok Sabha seats -- Shimla, Mandi, Hamirpur and
Kangra.
The BJP has fielded Suresh Kashyap, Ram Swaroop Sharma, Anurag Thakur and Kishan Kapoor from these seats.
While Sharma and Thakur are the sitting MPs, the other two are the sitting legislators.
For
almost two decades, every electoral battle in the state is led by BJP's
two-time Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. And it is for the first time
that it is minus Dhumal at the helm.
On this, five-time
legislator Thakur replied with a gentle smile that the elections were
fought with collective efforts and with collective strategy.
"Being head of the state I would have greater responsibility to motivate the activists to ensure the victory.
"During
my tenure as a state BJP President, the party had returned to power (in
2007). In the last one and a half years of my government, I have
travelled almost all 68 Assembly constituencies to establish direct
contact with the common man."
"I am fully confident that the BJP will retain all the four Lok Sabha seats," he added.
Soft
spoken Thakur maintained "if there is double engine (the BJP government
both in the state and the Centre) we can drive the state forward".
"With
Modiji's intervention, we got projects worth more than Rs 10,000 crore
sanctioned in this short period. We have introduced Himachal Healthcare
Scheme to supplement the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and launched Himachal
Grahini Suvidha Yojana to strengthen the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.
"Undoubtedly yes, Modiji is everywhere and this factor will work in the state too," he said.
On
the main opposition Congress saying that it is literally Thakur versus
former Telecom Minister Sukh Ram in the Mandi seat, Thakur stated
categorically: "I don't see it like that."
"We have always given
respect to Pandit Sukh Ram but he became turncoat in politics for his
self-development, this is not fair on his part. This time people of
Mandi are happy that one of their legislator has been appointed as Chief
Minister for the first time."
Political observers say Thakur's
prestige is at stake to retain the Mandi seat as incumbent MP Ram
Swaroop Sharma, known for his proximity to the Chief Minister, is facing
anti-incumbency and his main opponent is defected BJP leader Sukh Ram,
who is campaigning aggressively for his grandson and Congress greenhorn
candidate Ashray Sharma.
Sukh Ram has been dubbed an 'Aya Ram Gaya Ram'.
On
being asked why the BJP has never nominated a woman candidate in the
state for the Lok Sabha polls, Thakur replied: "The BJP doesn't give
ticket on the basis of caste, creed or gender. Chances of winning is the
sole criterion. We have women Ministers, legislators and chairperson of
boards and corporations."
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