The Congress is gearing up to break nearly two decades old jinx.
The Congress has been biting the dust in Hamirpur parliamentary constituency for past 17 years and to win the ‘hot seat’ as it is popularly called for being home constituency of former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, the Congress is now trying to plug every loophole to win the seat. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri who hails from Una district, PCC president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu who hails from Hamirpur district on Saturday discussed the strategies and loopholes causing defeat to the party for past 17 years.
Party leaders from constituency, in-charge to block and district presidents’ alongwith other office bearers were also present during the meeting. Hamirpur parliamentary constituency is currently represented by BJP MP and son of Dhumal, Anurag Thakur who is also national president of Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM). During her maiden visit to the state, Congress general secretary in-charge Ambika Soni had also asked state Congress leadership to formulate strategy to win back the citadel of BJP.
“It has more or less become a prestige fight for Congress in Hamirpur and it will be in larger interest of the party, if it declares the candidate for the constituency now, so that the candidate gets enough time to connect with the people,” said one of the senior Congress party workers of the constituency. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh asked the party workers to take the good works of the State Government and UPA Government at the Centre to the masses and ensure better coordination among different units of the party in the constituency.
“If we contest the election in united manner and take the good works of the government to the masses, I see no reason, why Congress cannot win Hamirpur seat,” said Singh in his address to the party workers. On other hand Sukhu, who also hails from Nadaun in Hamipur district said that this time conditions are most favourable to break the 17 years old jinx and stressed upon better coordination between organization and Government, like it was done in Mandi bye-election.
Agnihotri lauded the efforts made by Virbhadra Singh government in the development of Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Una district and people friendly schemes launched in the districts including a latest gift of IIIT in Una district. “We have to make people aware and compare what the BJP government did and what Congress Government is doing for lower Himachal especially Una and Hamirpur district,” said Agnihotri. Food and Civil Supplies Minister GS Balli who was present on the occasion also highlighted the main characteristics of National Food Security Bill to be launched in the State later this month and said benefits of this bill could be the game changer in the entire constituency and party workers should create awareness till village levels.