BJP govt ignored Kangra, stalled projects: Agnihotri

FCI procurement centres lack infra

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The state government is not concerned about the paddy of farmers of the border areas of the state. They are suffering as Punjab has closed its mandis for them. The FCI procurement centres set in the state in a hurry lack infrastructure. Mukesh Agnihotri, Leader of the Opposition

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, October 27

Leader of the Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri yesterday campaigned for Congress candidate Bhawani Singh Pathania in the Fatehpur Assembly constituency.

Agnihotri, while addressing public rallies in Fatehpur, alleged that the state government had ignored Kangra district, particularly the Fatehpur Assembly constituency, in the past four years.

He said that the Chief Engineer, Project Office, posted in Fatehpur was shifted to Mandi district. The BJP ministers, who are now seeking votes in Fatehpur, should answer why government officers were transferred.

He said that most of the development projects in Kangra district had come to a standstill. The expansion of the Gaggal airport was hanging fire, the campus of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh was still to be constructed though the BJP has governments both in the state and at the Centre. The mid-Himalayan project of the Forest Department running under the aegis of the World Bank in Kangra district had failed to make headway. The BJP did not have even one project to take credit for in Kangra in the past four years, he added.

Agnihotri alleged that since the BJP had not done anything, the Chief Minister was trying to invoke regionalism in Mandi district to garner votes for party candidate Brig Khushal Thakur (retd).

He said that the price rise was a major issue. The prices of fuel, LPG, and edible oils had almost doubled in the past four months. BJP leaders, who used to take to roads while in the opposition, were now mute spectators. The price rise had affected every section of society and people would vote against the BJP in the byelections.

Later, while talking to newsmen, Agnihotri said that the state government was not concerned about the paddy of farmers in the border areas of the state who are suffering as Punjab had closed its mandis for Himachal farmers. The FCI procurement centres in the state were set up in a hurry and they lack infrastructure, he added.