I am here to stay, confident about BJP doing well in bypolls: Jai Ram Thakur

First time in Himachal Pradesh, the state is witnessing simultaneous bypolls to one parliamentary constituency –Mandi and three Assembly constituencies –Arki (Solan) Jubbal-Kotkhai (Shimla) and Fatehpur (Kangra). The polls are seen as semi-final in the BJP-ruled state, before next year's Assembly elections. Ashwani Sharma of Millennium Post spoke to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on BJP's prospects ahead of October 30 polling.

How confident are you and your party about the bypoll outcome?

We are very comfortable in Mandi, which is our stronghold. The party has given ticket to Kargil war veteran Brigadier (Rtd) Khushal Thakur in Mandi, who will win with a comfortable margin. There is a contest in rest of the Assembly seats. I myself have done very aggressive campaigns in all 20 Assembly segments under Mandi (17) and three –Arki, Jubbal-Kotkhai and Fatehpur. The BJP will win all the elections.

But, the Congress is equally confident about victory in Mandi on sympathy vote since they have fielded ex-CM Virbhadra Singh's wife.

The elections are not won on emotions but on issues. It's true by fielding Pratibha Singh, the Congress has tried to encash on sympathy in favour of late Virbhadra Singh. We too have a lot of regard for Virbhadra Singh ji. She may be able to get sympathy in Rampur –the native town of Virbhadra Singh and some parts of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti. But, I also hail from Mandi. Ram Sawroop Sharma, whose demise led to bypoll, had won the seat by a highest ever margin of four lakhs, which even tallest leaders like Virbhadra Singh could not get.

What happened in Jubbal-Kotkhai? Why was the ticket denied to Chetan Bragta, son of BJP's popular face late Narinder Bragta?

It was party's decision not to give ticket to kin of any BJP leader. This was a decision taken across the states not particularly Jubbal-Kotkhai. We wanted Chetan Bragta but party's highest body decided to take a uniform decision for all the states witnessing bypoll.Bragta is contesting as rebel as he did not support the party decision. This has definitely impacted the prospects of the BJP.

Don't you think the Congress managed its campaign well despite factionalism in the party?

I don't agree. Every Congress leader was trying to score over the other. They were in the campaigning not for favouring the candidates but their own benefits with an eye on next year's Assembly elections. The BJP campaign focussed and we tried to seek vote on our performance and development as despite Covid crisis, the government has done fairly well.

Do you think prices were also a big issue?

Yes to some extent the people did react to the prices. We told them in the rallies that the prices were an issue even when Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the party to massive victory in 2014 and later 2019.

Will the outcome of the polls, if not in the BJP favour, affect your leadership?

This his highly hypothetical question. I was chosen as leader by the party high command after lots of deliberations. The people of the state and the party have accepted me as Chief Minister, I have performed fairly well and brought the state out of Covid –a medical emergency which none of earlier Chief Minister faced. We are number one state in vaccination drive. I did not let the development stop even in the Covid time. I don't think the results will be against the BJP. I am here to stay but I admit the bypolls are a big test to measure, where we stand today, ahead of next year's assembly elections .