Congress aims to bounce back in Mandi

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Vinay Kumar today received a warm welcome on his arrival in Mandi district. He was accompanied by senior Congress leaders Prakash Chaudhary and Sohan Lal Thakur.

Interacting with media, he admitted that the Congress suffered a major setback in Mandi during the 2022 Assembly elections due to internal factionalism. The BJP had secured nine out of 10 seats in the district.

Kumar said the party was not fully aware of the extent of internal divisions during the previous polls, but lessons had now been learnt. He announced that a fresh strategy would be formulated to ensure the party’s revival in Mandi with all leaders working collectively to defeat the BJP in the next Assembly elections. “We are committed to correcting our organisational shortcomings. This time, the Congress will fight as a united force,” he said.

Taking a dig at the Opposition, Kumar claimed that the BJP itself was deeply divided, which, he said, was visible during the party’s recent rally in Dharamsala.

The HPCC chief revealed that the appointment of district and block presidents would soon be completed by the party high command in Delhi. Following these appointments, new organisational bodies would be constituted at the state, district and block levels to streamline party functioning ahead of key electoral contests.

Kumar also expressed confidence about the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections in the state. Though these elections are not fought on party symbols, he said nearly 80 per cent seats were likely to be won by candidates aligned with the Congress ideology. He maintained that the people of Himachal Pradesh were favouring the Congress and ready to support candidates who represent the party’s principles at the grassroots level.

Reiterating the need for unity and discipline, Kumar emphasised that the Congress leadership would ensure that internal differences do not hamper its electoral prospects in the future. He stated that Mandi district would see a rejuvenated and strategically stronger Congress in the coming years.