Hamirpur3 hours ago
This time in Himachal, no one is directly contesting the assembly elections from former CM Premkumar Dhumal or his family. Despite this, he is the most talked about in the election. This is the first time in 38 years after 1984 when Dhumal is not directly visible in Himachal’s election riots.
78-year-old Dhumal, who has been CM twice, claims that the party that entered the election field without him will definitely repeat. Regarding the current state of rebellion in the Himachal BJP after the announcement of tickets, he says it could have been improved. However, he does not take anyone’s name for such a situation.
Dainik Bhaskar’s senior journalist Vikram Dhatwalia spoke directly to Dhumal, who shocked his supporters by announcing the decision not to contest the election in a meeting to finalize the party’s candidate in New Delhi. This was Dhumal’s first interview to a media organization in the Himachal Assembly elections. Read what Dhumal said:-
Bhaskar: You were very active for a year. The workers were also feeling motivated. Then why all of a sudden the decision had to be taken not to contest the elections?
Dhumal: I took the decision of not contesting elections long back. The people inside the party who needed to be told about this, were told on time there. In fact, after the 2017 elections, I had decided to remain active for the care of the workers of Sujanpur assembly constituency for 5 years. So that when a new candidate comes in the election, people do not tell him that the previous candidate did not inquire for 5 years and now you have come to contest the election.
Bhaskar: When did you write a letter to PM Modi about not contesting elections? Did your son Anurag or others know about it?
Dhumal: Wrote sometime back. The family members knew about it.
Bhaskar: Was there any talk with the PM regarding the letter?
Dhumal: This was absolutely discussed with PM Narendra Modi. But what happened to me and him? Can’t make it public.
Bhaskar: What was in the letter written to the PM? What was important in that?
Dhumal: I can’t say anything about this.
Bhaskar: Can it be assumed that you have shunned active political life?
Dhumal: I will be present wherever the party needs it. I will definitely do as much as I can in terms of age.
Bhaskar: This time there is a lot of rebellion in the disciplined BJP? This happened neither in your time nor during Shanta Kumar’s time. Won’t it affect victory or defeat?
Dhumal: When the party is winning, the number of contestants increases. This is a sign of this. Every worker hopes that he gets a ticket. As far as I have seen the situation regarding the rebellion, something could have been done to improve it. Information has been given for that at the party level. Improvements have been made in many places. After the nomination, the situation will become normal as soon as the campaigning picks up from October 29.
Bhaskar: Is your son Anurag Thakur a contender for the post of CM in Himachal? Don’t you think he has been deliberately confined to central politics?
Dhumal: The party high command decides who is to be used properly at which place. Anurag is doing a better job at the national level in the eyes of the BJP high command, so it is okay.
Bhaskar: Many office bearers of the organization are contesting elections this time. If the office bearers go to the polls, then the question will not arise? Is the party also on target for familyism?
Dhumal: The party’s Central Election Committee has decided to contest the office bearers. Whoever the party wants, he contests the elections. Whatever is right for the party, only that will come in the fray.
Bhaskar: Will Jairam Sarkar be successful in ‘Mission Repeat’? Not much is visible on the ground in 5 years. Then the reason for this hope?
Dhumal: BJP is definitely returning to power as many projects in Himachal have come to an end due to the double engine government. Better work was done here during the Corona period. For this reason people feel that only double engine government can do good for the state.
Bhaskar: Four years ago, 68 National Highways were declared in the state but work on them has not started. Attari to Manali via Hamirpur-Sameerpur National Highway was announced 20 years ago. It’s not done yet?
Dhumal: It takes time. Many National Highways are in process. As for the National Highway connecting Manali via Samirpur, its work has already started. Land acquisition work is going on. Big projects do take some time.
High command understands the importance of Dhumal
The BJP high command also understands the importance of Dhumal in Himachal. For this reason, not only was ticket given to his favorite candidate from Sujanpur seat, but Dhumal’s name has been kept at number nine in the list of 40 star campaigners of the party for Himachal elections. In this list, the party’s central leader is in the first six places, while the seventh-eighth number is the name of CM Jairam Thakur and BJP state president Suresh Kashyap. Dhumal’s name comes after him. PM Narendra Modi himself has also been praising Dhumal by taking the name of Dhumal from the stage in rallies.