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People will reject rebels in polls: Sukhu at Una rally

Sukhu said that the six Congress rebels who are contesting assembly bypolls on Bharatiya Janata Party tickets were “sell-outs” and the people the state would not tolerate them in the election

Updated on: Apr 5, 2024, 05:08:12 IST
By , Shimla
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Two days ahead of the Congress’ central election committee meet in New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the election campaign for the six assemblies bypolls and four Lok Sabha seats.

Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (right) with deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri in Una on Thursday. (HT Photo)
Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (right) with deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri in Una on Thursday. (HT Photo)

Sukhu said that the six Congress rebels who are contesting assembly bypolls on Bharatiya Janata Party tickets were “sell-outs” and the people the state would not tolerate them in the elections.

He flayed them for the failed attempt to dislodge the democratically elected government and said that they were corrupt and would be put behind bars. The chief minister predicted the win of Congress in the bypolls for the six assembly seats.

At a rally in Samur in Kutlehar assembly segment, he projected Vivek Sharma as the Congress candidate, saying that he has worked tirelessly in the constituency and his name figured at the top in the survey.

He projected former Una MLA Satpal Raizada for the Lok Sabha elections against BJP’s Union minister Anurag Thakur from Hamirpur.

Sukhu cautioned leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur against the Congress turncoats. “Sell-outs, whether on this side or the other, would always remain sell-outs. Such persons can betray anyone for their interests. Jai Ram, with 25 MLAs, is talking about forming a government. He should save his MLAs from being sold. They can be sold in any market, preserve them. The Congress government has an absolute majority and will last for five years,” Sukhu said.

“We do not have the power of money. We have the power of honesty, morality and the courage of the people. These rebels were sold out for hefty amounts and we have proof. Gradually, layer after layer, truth is coming out. Police have started an investigation. Who paid the hotel bills and with whose money the helicopters were taken, all this is coming to light. All of them will go behind bars. The income earned through corruption belongs to the public and should be distributed among the public,” the chief minister added.

“Brokers are unwanted in politics. The public should teach them a lesson for once and all,” Sukhu said. In a direct attack on BJP candidate Devender Bhutto, he added, “Your MLA approached me with requests to call up superintending engineers and executive engineers for his works and I wondered many times why he never raised public problems. Now it’s a fight between truth and lies.”

The chief minister said that he urges the BJP leaders and workers to teach a lesson to those who sell legislature by taking money.

“When their leader Jai Ram Thakur failed to get power, he used these tactics to grab power,” he said.

Deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the is a fight between rebels and the Congress party .

“Local legislators betrayed the public. All the nine people who conspired to dislodge the government are now in the BJP and tickets to turncoats have made it clear. It’s a fight between Congress rebels and Congress. The BJP is nowhere,” Agnihotri said.