Rajnath, Anurag back Jai Ram Thakur, Mission 'repeat' in 2022 Assembly polls

Shimla: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday applauded Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur for what he described as splendid performance of the BJP government in Himachal Pradesh and predicted the party's return to power in 2022 Assembly polls.

At an impressive function, which the state government had organised to mark three years in office, Singh said despite the Covid -19 crisis, the Chief Minister did not let the development priorities take a back seat and the government also tried to reach every vulnerable person during the lockdown and even later.

The function was organised through a virtual mode in view of the Covid and recent spike in the cases in Himachal Pradesh.

Union Minister said the Atal Rohtang Tunnel, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation, would not only change the socio economic conditions of the people of Lahaul-Spiti, a district which had lived in isolation for years, but was also of great strategic importance.

Union Minister of state for Finance Anurag Thakur, who also joined from New Delhi, said several welfare schemes and development initiatives taken by the Chief Minister during the last three years have laid the basis for his return to power in 2022 –when the state goes to the polls.

"The BJP has won UP, Bihar and even Jammu and Kashmir panchayat polls. Next we are heading for a big win in West Bengal and thereafter many other states including Himachal Pradesh under Jai Ram Thakur," he said.

Thakur hoped that as the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had sanctioned special industrial package to Himachal that made Baddi-Brotiwala a biggest Pharmaceutical hub of Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take a call to give Himachal his gift as bulk drug park worth Rs 10,000 crore.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the three years tenure was dedicated towards welfare of every section of the society and a balanced development of the state. He said the Corona pandemic did disturb the pace of the development and delayed the projects but his focus on priority areas was never lost.

" In next two years, the government will work with double energy to revive the development, economic activity and achieve all the targets to see that the people of the state vote back the BJP on basis of its performance," he said.

Thakur said the government will soon fix up the date for next ground breaking ceremony of investments worth Rs 10,000 crore apart from Rs 13,000 crore already done.Had Covid not impacted the pace, the state government would have started projects worth Rs 40,000 crore.

Thakur said the state was celebrating Golden Jubilee of its statehood on January 25 next year in a befitting manner.

Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal also addressed the event virtually and appreciated the new initiatives of the government.

State BJP president Suresh Kashyap also spoke while National BJP president J P Nadda's message was read out.

A documentary produced by the Information and Public Relations on three years achievements of the state government was also screened on the occasion.

Meanwhile, oppsition Congress observed a black day on Sunday to mark three-year failures of the BJP government on all fronts including Covid management. The Congress leaders led by PCC chief Kuldeep Rathore took out a procession wearing black masks on the face.