Punjab Newsline, Shimla, July 13-
Following the victory of the congress candidates in two out of three Assembly Constituencies (ACs) in the recent bye-elections in the State, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressed a large gathering of Congress supporters at his official residence, Oak Over today.
He said that the people have shown dust to those who betrayed the faith of the people and it was a victory by defeating those who believe in luring people with money power. It was a victory over 'Dhan Bal', (money power) he remarked.
The Chief Minister said that “this is a victory for the voters of the state and the dedicated efforts of Congress party workers”. The voters have delivered a strong rebuke to the politics of horse-trading and have voted to maintain political integrity in the state. It had been long 25 years since Congress candidate won in Dehra. In Nalagarh too congress candidate secured a significant victory. The election outcome has sent a clear message to the entire country and in future no candidate of any party in Himachal Pradesh will dare to engage him or her in horse-trading for the next 50 years, said the Chief Minister.
He said that attempts to destabilize the government since 28 February, 2024 have been successfully thwarted and the conspiracies aimed at toppling the democratically elected government has failed. With this victory the number of Congress party MLAs in the assembly has risen to 40 again.
He criticized leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur for his repeated claims of forming BJP government in the State and the centre before Lok Sabha elections terming the BJP's "Operation Lotus" a biggest failure. He said that despite the clear mandate of public, Jai Ram Thakur continued misleading the people of the state by making false and exaggerated claims.
The Chief Minister also condemned the deeds of three independent MLAs, and said these three have imposed the bye-election on the people by conspiring to overthrow the government. “Rather than supporting the opposition in the assembly, these MLAs left the state for a month and staged a protest to have their resignations accepted outside the Vidhan Sabha. The public has given a befitting reply to their obstinacy through the election results” which is also a good lesson for all those who were trying to destabilize the congress government in the State, he said.
He said that in the bye-polls held in 13 ACs all over the country, the BJP has only managed two seats out of 13 and that too with thin margin which clearly indicates that the people across the country has rejected the autocracy of the BJP leaders, its ideology and policies of being in power by befooling people.