Shimla: BJP stalwart and two-time former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal feels it is time to allow a new generation of leaders across party-lines in Himachal Pradesh after biggies like Virbhadra Singh, Shanta Kumar and himself, who have held the fort for decades.
In a candid conversation with this UNI senior journalist in Samirpur on Friday, the three-time Member of Parliament said that although he is not contesting any election this time still he is very much active in public life.
Responding to a question about the low-profile of the state election leadership, a vacuum of stalwart leadership post Virbhadra Singh, himself not being in race for chiefministership and Shanta Kumar not being in public life, the 78-year-old leader said that new leadership should get chance to show their worth in the public life.
“New leadership should come up. I’m very much active in the public life and whatever role party has assigned to me, I’m doing,” said Dhumal, one of the key state star campaingners.
Dhumal accepted there is impact of the Old Pension System in this election, however he said that if OPS is Congress major poll plank, it is also responsible for abolishing the Old Pension of Employees.
He said that every employee who has been serving for many years in the state services should be entitled for formidable pension. Giving his personal view point, he said that it should be relooked into by whichever party comes to power.
Dhumal, who is busy canvassing across Assembly Constituencies, denied any failure in the saffron party’s strategies and distribution of tickets.
He said that in every election, a number of party leaders become aspirants for tickets but party gives away tickets only after going through the merits and demerits.
He foresaw neck to neck contests in more than 20 seats having margin of 2,000 votes, which he said could benefit the ruling party if it has done a good job.
Dhumal refused to accept there is any anti-government mood at all. He also said that ticket was not denied to him in this election rather he himself urged the party president to allow him to sit back as he didn’t want to contest and the party acted on his advise.
On BJP facing multi-cornered contests on various seats due to its own rebels, Dhumal said his opinion was not sought before allotting ticket. “Things were decided by party high command.”
He also added that when people know that a party is coming to power, in every constituency 50 to 60 aspirants want to fight the elections. However, not all can get ticket and so the party high command followed a method best suited to the situation.
On his future in politics here on, Dhumal said the BJP does not yet want to retire him from public life and it is evident from the fact that the party has assigned him the role of a star campaigner.
He said that “being not in the race of CM this time doesn’t matter”, as he is satisfied with his present role.
He said people of the state have benefited from the state government’s policies. “Water, electricity was provided for free; old age pension was given to all people above 60 years; education, health facilities were in order, however, masses always want more.”
He said in the years ahead it is self employment, job creation, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and connectivity that should be given the thrust in his hilly state.
Efforts should be made to increase tourist footfalls and increase investment in the Tourism sector, which will improve employment avenue for the youth.
Dhumal reminded that two years of the Jai Ram Thakur government was wasted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Also one should remember its achievement as the government provided free vaccination and distributed free ration.
He said performance of the Thakur government has been good but it is people’s nature to always aspire for more. “If we build Kaccha road, people tend to demand Pucca road and there is no ends to development,” he said.
He also said that Himachal has benefited from the policy of the Narendra Modi government — Hamirpur (Dhumal’s former parliamentary constituency) got Vande Bharat train; besides AIIMS and big schemes like free LPG connection under Swajal Yojana, also free vaccination of first, second and booster doses for people. He said that rail and road connectivity was being expanded in the state.
