Bharatiya Janata Party workers in the district are getting ready for the proposed visit by central health minister Jagat Parkash Nadda to Kullu on April 25 and have planned a grand ceremony at Dahlpur ground to welcome him. The district is already facing political apathy as no Congress party MLA succeeded in getting a ministerial berth in the Virbhadra Singh led state government cabinet and the opposition party wants to leave no stone unturned to dominate the Congress party here, where bickering among local Congress leaders has come to the fore.
Nadda last visited the district during the 2014 parliamentary elections to campaign for the BJP candidate, Ram Swaaroop Sharma, who eventually defeated his archrival, the Congress party's candidate Pratibha Singh, Virbhadra's wife, by a huge margin.
Area residents have high expectations from Nadda, where healthcare, tourism and road infrastructure has been neglected. They think he would help to make some change here by taking their grievances with central government effectively to provide required financial assistance to the state to develop infrastructure here.
Expressing their expectations from Nadda, several locals told this reporter they wanted the minister to speed up work on the long awaited Bhubhu Jyot tunnel road project, which would reduce the 70 km distance between Kullu and Joginder Nagar in Mandi district via the Lug valley. They added they wanted improved healthcare facilities in Kullu district, which is the epicenter for residents of Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Kullu and Mandi districts.
Similarly, people associated with the tourism industry are expecting Nadda to represent their issues with the central government effectively. These include improved air connectivity that may give an impetus to the sluggish tourism sector due to bad roads.
BJP state vice president Ram Singh said: "A grand ceremony will be held in Kullu to welcome Nadda on April 25 and we will apprise him about our grievances concerning the area residents. Poor road infrastructure, frail air services and lack of health facility are key issues in Kullu district. We'll request him to do more to develop roads, air connectivity and healthcare in the district."
Similarly, people associated with the tourism industry are expecting Nadda to represent their issues with the central government effectively. These include improved air connectivity that may give an impetus to the sluggish tourism sector due to bad roads.
BJP state vice president Ram Singh said: "A grand ceremony will be held in Kullu to welcome Nadda on April 25 and we will apprise him about our grievances concerning the area residents. Poor road infrastructure, frail air services and lack of health facility are key issues in Kullu district. We'll request him to do more to develop roads, air connectivity and healthcare in the district."