Hamirpur people angry with Anurag: Chandel

Our Correspondent

UNA, April 26

Co-convenor of the state Congress Campaign Committee and former BJP MP Suresh Chandel today said that a large cross section of the people from Hamirpur parliamentary segment bear anger against BJP MP Anurag Thakur.

They would get vocal as the election campaign progresses. He was addressing media persons here.

Chandel said people were angry because Anurag Thakur had failed to establish rapport with them after winning the elections. Besides, he said the MP had over enthusiastically made a number of announcements which could not be materialised.

Chandel said rail line to Hamirpur and the national highways had failed to see the light of the day, while health institutions and the Himachal Pradesh Central University had seen two foundation stones without a brick being laid. He added that when politicians make false promises, people are bound to get angry. He said Anurag Thakur has yet not given his report card for the last 12 years during which he represented Hamirpur segment in Parliament.

When asked whether the 2005 Operation Duryodhan, which saw his ouster from the Lok Sabha, will put a credibility question mark on him as a Congress campaigner, Chandel said since the matter was sub judice, he will not make any comment. He, however, said the sting was a planned conspiracy hatched by ‘insiders’ to check his strides in politics. He said time will come when people will know the truth.

To a question that the Congress leaders portray RSS as an anti-nationalist organization, Chandel said he has remained a part of the RSS, which has given several good things to the nation and the people. He said he has learned a lot from the organization. He pointed out that former President Pranab Mukherjee was all praise for the RSS, adding that whenever he gets a chance, he will speak about RSS’s good things with Congress leaders.

Congress candidate from Hamirpur segment Ram Lal Takur, Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri and Una MLA Satpal Rizada were also present.