Unwilling to fight LS elections, Jai Ram Thakur got Kangana Ranaut ticket: Congress

Mandi, April 25

Congress chief spokesperson Prem Kaushal today said, “The BJP has tried to grab power in Himachal through money power but its campaign failed. After the six Assembly byelections, the Congress will again have 40 MLAs and the government will serve the people of the state for five years.”

Kaushal alleged, “Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur got ticket for Kangana from the Mandi seat because he didn’t want to contest the Lok Sabha elections. Jai Ram failed to play the role of the Leader of the Opposition during the rain disaster last year. He rather played politics on the disaster and worked to stop financial assistance from the Central Government to Himachal.”

He said, “The BJP has ignored Kargil War hero Brig Khushal Thakur (retd.) and fielded Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut on the Mandi seat in the Lok Sabha elections.” He added that the Mandi parliamentary constituency had traditionally been a stronghold of the Congress. “Kangana is a genius in the field of acting but in the political field, she is no match for Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh, who is also Public Works Department Minister. Vikramaditya is a youth icon of Himachal,” he added.

Kaushal said, “Kangana says that I am the daughter of Himachal and nobody contests this. Where was she at the time of the rain disaster when even little children donated money from their piggybanks, while widows, pensioners and other sections of society contributed to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to help the flood-affected people in the state. Even Bollywood stars gave financial assistance to Himachal.”

He alleged, “During the disaster, Kangana tried to gain popularity by courting a controversy. When Jai Ram Thakur was Chief Minister, he had wanted Kangana to become the tourism ambassador of Himachal but she rejected his proposal saying that the Himachal Government would not be able to pay her fees.” — TNS

Played ‘politics’ over rain disaster

Jai Ram Thakur failed to play the role of the Leader of the Opposition during the rain disaster last year. He rather played politics on the disaster and worked to stop financial aid from the Centre to Himachal. — Prem Kaushal, Cong chief spokesperson