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Congress gears up for bypolls in HP, Shukla presides over crucial meetings
Senior leaders, including state party chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore, CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri, GS Bali and Sudhir Sharma, were present at the meet
Himachal Pradesh Congress has geared up for the byelections to the Mandi Lok Sabha and Fatehpur and Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly segments with AICC in-charge Rajiv Shukla presiding over meeting of political strategic and coordination committees to review the preparedness at Dharamshala.
Senior leaders, including state party chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore, CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri, GS Bali and Sudhir Sharma, were present at the meet.
The byelections were necessitated due to death of the sitting members. While Mandi MP Ramswaroop Sharma allegedly committed suicide, Fatehpur MLA Sujan Singh Pathania died due to prolonged illness. Jubbal-Kotkhai legislator Narinder Bragta succumbed to post-Covid complications.
Shukla said Kangra was a politically significant district and he was here to discuss the strategy for byelections as well as the 2022 assembly polls.
“Public’s mood is in the Congress’ favour and we would return to the power in 2022 with thumping majority,” said Shukla.
“There is also possibility of winning all three byelections. People are fed up of the government and there is anger building up against the regime,” he added.
He said nothing significant has happened in Himachal on the development front under BJP regime.
Taking a dig at the Centre for rising fuel prices, Shukla said the petrol rates have crossed ₹100 while diesel would soon hit the century.
Shukla said the Congress will announce its nominees as soon as the Election Commission declares the byelections. He also downplayed the infighting in the Congress stating that all leaders were united and will work to win the elections.
Shukla said there was no party without factionalism. “More than us, it is in BJP,” he said.
