Congress leader, lieutenant General Gambhir Singh Negi (Rtd) has blamed the BJP for purportedly misleading the ex- servicemen of the state on the issue of One Rank One Pension (OROP). Addressing media persons here on Thursday, Negi lambasted the BJP-led Central Government for leaving the OROP in an incomplete state and launching of a campaign of purported misinformation. The former army officer who is a member of ex -servicemen cell of Congress in the state claimed that from Sepoy to Major rank, the veterans have received no monetary benefit. Apart from this, the disability pension has been reduced and the widows of armed forces personnel got no benefit.
The president of Congress' state ex servicemen cell Captain Balbir Singh Rawat (Rtd) informed that demand for Congress tickets to four ex-servicemen has been made to the party.
The list of ex-servicemen proposed candidates includes lt Gen T P S Rawat (Rtd) from lansdowne, Captain Balbir Singh Rawat (Rtd) from Sahaspur, Major Hari Singh Chaudhary (Rtd) from Rudraprayag and Sergeant Ramesh Kapdi (Rtd) from Didihat.
Rawat said that the BJP is perturbed by the popularity of Chief Minister Harish Rawat and in this fear it has not projected any Chief Ministerial candidate in the state.