HP bypolls: Jai Ram flays Pratibha over Kargil War remarks

Pratibha Singh had during an election rally described the Kargil conflict as a ‘small war’, which HP CM Jai Ram termed ‘saddening’

Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday slammed Congress nominee Pratibha Singh over her remarks on Kargil War.

HP chief minister Jai Ram said the records of Congress leaders were known to everyone. (HT file photo)

Pratibha during an election rally had described the Kargil conflict as a “small war”. She was trolled for her remarks as a video of her statement was put out on social networking platforms.

“There is a strange situation in the Congress right now. Its leaders do not listen to each other inside the assembly. Everyone is in a race to become a leader,” Jai Ram said while making a veiled attack on leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri.

“Whatever Congress leaders said about me is not an insult to me, but to the entire state,” the CM said during an election meeting in Churag.

“I am not a king. I am from a poor family, but it doesn’t mean that you keep on insulting a common man,” Jai Ram said, calling the Congress a “directionless party without a leader”.

He said the records of Congress leaders were known to everyone.

“Everybody knows Brigadier Khushal Thakur. He fought valiantly. It’s saddening that Pratibha described the battle with Pakistan as a minor one,” the Himachal CM said, while lambasting Vikramaditya. “He made it to the Vidhan Sabha for the first time and he is talking about avenging the Congress’ defeat . It’s unfortunate that Virbhadra Singh is not among us today and if anyone is seeking votes, they should do that on the basis of work rather than anyone’s name,” he added.

Pratibha targets CM over unemployment in Himachal

Meanwhile, Pratibha Singh flayed Jai Ram Thakur-led state government over growing unemployment.

“It’s disheartening that people from outside the state are getting jobs in Himachal, but not the Himachalis,” she said. She addressed a series of rallies in different assembly segments of Mandi on Tuesday.

“Virbhadra Singh always gave prominence to the people of the state while his government made job appointments. It’s for the first time that I am in fray without him (Virbhadra). Virbhadra ji is remembered for his works, it’s the reason that he got love and affection from people of the state,” she added.

She blamed the “defective policies” of the central government for rising unemployment and inflation.

HP Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore, while addressing the media in Shimla, also claimed that the government has failed on all fronts.