Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service
Shimla, October 6
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said today that the Congress would seek sympathy votes in the name of Virbhadra Singh but the fact that the sentiments of the people of Mandi are with the BJP could not be overlooked.
"It is for the first time that she has affixed "Virbhadra" to her name, which is merely to get the political mileage, but people do not appreciate such things," said Thakur, while talking to The Tribune.
Pratibha has, for the first time, added the name of her late husband to her name, which now reads as Pratibha Virbhadra Singh. The BJP terms it an election gimmick.
Situation now different
The Congress can get sympathy votes in the name of the former CM in some Assembly segments, but the situation in Mandi is far different than earlier times, when there was no formidable challenge to the BJP. — Jai Ram Thakur, CM
He added that the Congress could get sympathy votes in the name of the former CM in some Assembly segments, but the situation in Mandi was far different than earlier times, when there was no formidable challenge to the BJP.
Admitting that the Congress had thrown up a challenge by trying to play up the sympathy factor, his party would seek votes in the name of development undertaken over the past four years. "Though I will be in a position to make any clear-cut statement only once candidates are finalised, I am confident that the BJP will do well," he said.
He also disclosed that the BJP legislators had been told that the party's performance in the parliamentary bypoll would be an indicator of their performance and the ticket allotment for the 2022 Assembly poll would depend on this to a great extent.
Thakur said the Congress had failed to emerge from the shadow of one family at the Centre and they promoted dynastic politics. "As far as Chetan Bragta, a contender for the BJP ticket from Jubbal-Kotkhai is concerned, he has been active in politics for the past 10 years even though he happens to be the son of former MLA Narinder Bragta," said the CM.
He added that on the contrary, Bhawani Singh Pathania is a perfect example of dynastic politics as he was working in Mumbai and returned to Fatehpur only after the death of his father Sujan Singh Pathania.
Courtesy: Tribune News Service