Mandi, May 24
Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur during a rally held at the Paddal Ground here today lambasted the state government for its lacklustre approach to development issues in Mandi.
He said that since the Congress had assumed power in Himachal Pradesh, development had come to a halt. He criticised the diversion of Rs 1,000 crore earmarked for an airport in Mandi district and Rs 200 crore allocated for the Shivdham project, both sanctioned during the previous BJP government, to projects in other districts.
Thakur decried the diminishing stature of Sardar Patel University and the stalling of infrastructure projects such as the medical university in Mandi. This, he said, was happening under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu’s leadership.
He accused Congress candidate from Mandi Vikramaditya Singh of remaining silent on Mandi’s development issues while seeking public support for the Lok Sabha election.
Thakur sought support for BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut. Being the lone woman among men on the stage, Kangana expressed gratitude to Prime Minister’s initiatives for women empowerment. She vowed to prioritise infrastructure development in Mandi, if elected.
Kangana, however, refrained from directly attacking the Congress and Vikramaditya, choosing instead to focus on her vision for Mandi’s development and her determination to serve the public.
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