Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh campaigns in Mandi on Wednesday. Photo: Jai Kumar
Mandi, May 22
To ensure the overall development of the Mandi parliamentary constituency was his only priority, said Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh while addressing mediapersons here today. He outlined his ambitious vision for Mandi, vowing to elevate its status to being the premier parliamentary constituency in the nation. He drew a parallel with Shimla and pledged to transform Mandi into a smart city, building upon the legacy of his late father and six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
He said he would work for setting up a medical college in Kullu and improving the status of Sardar Patel university, taking the refund of Rs 9,000 crore of the old pension scheme deposited with the Central Government and removing stray cattle from roads and rehabilitating them at a safe place were his priorities if he was elected MP from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat.
He said as the PWD Minister he secured funds from the Centre for road projects. He criticised Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur saying, “He should tell the people of Mandi that as Chief Minister which big development projects he had brought for Mandi district during his previous BJP regime. Jai Ram opened Sardar Patel university in Mandi without a provision of adequate budget for it.”
Vikramaditya accused Kangana Ranaut, his chief adversary at the seat, of lacking a substantive development agenda and relying solely on the appeal and charisma of PM Narendra Modi. He said that the Congress had no role in the Kaza protest where people had shown black flags to Kangana. He paid tribute to Sukh Ram and remembered him for his significant role in the state’s progress, especially in the telecommunication sector.
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