Growers' interests will be protected: Himachal CM

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Shimla, August 19

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today said today that the Congress in Himachal was leaderless and in such circumstances more and more senior leaders from the party were keen to join the BJP as they were fed up with dynastic politics.

Stir political

• About the unrest among fruit growers, the CM said the agitation was more to protect the political interests and not the interests of growers
• The government is sympathetically looking at the genuine demands of the growers
• The state government is committed to safeguarding the interests of the farmers and horticulturists
• In the wake of the void created by the demise of Narendra Bragta, several leaders had been trying to become benefactors of the horticulturists.

Speaking to mediapersons here today, Thakur said that it after a lot of deliberations that the Congress made its state president and appointed four working presidents to strengthen the party.

“The fact that a working president of the Congress and state vice-president, both sitting MLAs, chose to join the BJP is a clear indication that Congress is a sinking ship which everyone wants to desert,” he said.

Thakur, when asked about the unrest among the fruit growers, said that it was more than evident that the agitation was more to protect the political interests and not the interests of the growers. “The government is sympathetically looking at the genuine demands of the growers,” he said.

He added that the state government was committed to safeguard the interests of the farmers and horticulturists by providing ample facilities of marketing, cold storage and CA stores so as to give boost to their economy.

The Chief Minister also addressed a deputation of BJP workers of Jubbal-Nawar-Kotkhai area led by Chetan Bragta, who has recently been taken back into the BJP. He said former minister Narendra Bragta was not only one of the tallest leaders of the BJP in the region, but was also committed to safeguarde the interests of the horticulturists.

“Bragta not only fought for the rights of the farmers, but had laid stress on diversification and value addition of the horticulture produce,” he said. He said that with the void created by the untimely demise of Narendra Bragta, several leaders had been trying to become benefactors of the horticulturists.

The Chief Minister said that AAP had been exposed on the issue of corruption just like the Congress. “There are allegations of huge bungling in the Excise Department and the Lt Governor had sought a probe,” he said on misuse of government money by AAP.

“We don’t need to ask Congress what to do. We don’t want directions from them,” he said when asked about the controversy in the appointments of the chairman and members in the HP Public Service Commission.