To consolidate its lost base and aiming at the 2014 lok Sabha polls, incumbent Congress Government on Wednesday celebrated its one-year in office here in a well organised rally.
Despite of fissures and factionalism round the corner, Congress organised the rally in which chief guest was Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and was attended by all the Cabinet Ministers except Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur. Among others present on the occasion include HPCC president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and chairpersons, vice chairpersons of various corporations and boards and other functionaries of the party drawn from various parts of the State.
AICC general secretary and State in-charge Ambika Soni was unable to attend the function due to her busy schedule at Delhi. People from different walks of life and as far as Kinnaur and lahaul and Spiti converged at the Hamirpur government senior secondary school ground, since morning. The rally started after chief minister reached Hamirpur at around 12.30pm and the Congress leaders said the turnout was around 30 thousand. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that the present state government during its one year tenure had ensured equal and balanced development of all areas and the sections of the society and welfare of the weaker sections had remained the focal point of the Government’s policies and programmes.
“Congress party had always worked hard for the speedy development of all areas and maintaining emotional integrity while BJP governments always believed in regionalism and victimization of its political rivals,” said chief minister amid sloganeering. He said that BJP government tried to implicate him in false cases but every time he was exonerated by the court. “Congress party had submitted a charge sheet against previous government and it was duty bound to conduct inquiry in to it and take action as per the law,” said Singh adding that no innocent would be harassed but serious action would be initiated against those found guilty.
On Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) headed by Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur, chief minister said that the state government was not against any sports organization but it was its duty to ensure complete transparency in the functioning of these organizations. He said that state government had launched several welfare schemes which upgraded the lives of the people and counted on number of schemes launched by his government. Several others ministers Vidya Stokes, Mukesh Agnihotri and others addressed the gathering on the occasion.
Congress leaders were upbeat with the flow of people in the rally and people were still seen pouring at the ground at the time of closing of the rally around 4.30 pm. They came singing songs and in their colorful dresses even from the remote areas of the state like Kinnaur, lahaul and Spiti and Pangi-Bharmaur. However, opposition BJP dubbed the rally as a big failure.
The district BJP chief, Vijay Agnihotri said that despite of Congress party claiming Hamirpur parliamentary seat as prestigious seat it had failed to mobilize people from all the areas of constituency. “Not a single new project was announced on the occasion for the welfare of the people of state in general and Hamirpur lok sabha seat in particular,” said Agnihotri.