Shimla, March 24: Pratibha Singh, former president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress and ex-MP, spoke exclusively about her tenure and the current political landscape in the state. She accused the central government of failing to provide assistance to Himachal Pradesh during times of crisis. Here are the key excerpts from the interview.
Question: Has the Himachal government fulfilled its promises to the public?
Answer: When the assembly elections were held in Himachal Pradesh in 2022, I took my responsibilities seriously as the president. We took significant steps to empower the Congress party, with the support of party workers and officials. Before the Congress government, the BJP ruled the state, but they had no notable achievements to discuss. The previous Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh, who led the Congress for a long time, made a significant impact. People voted as a tribute to him. They compared the work done by the previous BJP government and Virbhadra Singh, ultimately placing their trust in us and forming our government in 2022.
Himachal Pradesh is a small state with numerous challenges. As soon as the Congress government was formed, we reinstated the old pension scheme. Additionally, we promised a minimum support price for milk and 300 units of free electricity. We also initiated a scheme to provide ₹1500 to women, reaching out to remote areas. We are working on fulfilling all our promises, including those in regions that were initially overlooked. The state has suffered significant losses due to disasters, with homes destroyed and families affected. The government pledged to assist victims, and neighboring states, along with various social organizations, stepped in to help. Party workers have been actively working day and night.
However, it is unfortunate that the central government did not assist Himachal during this crisis. We received no assurances from the Prime Minister. If BJP MPs wanted to, they could have raised this issue with the central government, but they did not. The BJP leaders in Himachal are merely claiming that help is coming from the center, but on the ground, we have received nothing.
Question: Did the people of Himachal want to see you in Parliament? Was there injustice done to them?
Answer: The party has given me a lot. I have received the Lok Sabha ticket three times and have raised Himachal’s voice in Parliament. This time, the people wanted me to go to the Rajya Sabha, but it is not a personal matter. Supporters of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh are present in every corner of Himachal, and they have shown their support in large numbers. There was a collective voice urging the party to give me a chance in the Rajya Sabha to strengthen Congress again. If the party high command had given me this opportunity, I would have raised Himachal’s voice in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. However, I welcome the high command’s decision. Rahul Gandhi wanted to give a chance to a younger candidate, and they chose a young party worker for the Rajya Sabha ticket. I am confident that Anurag Sharma will fulfill the expectations placed upon him.
Question: Are you satisfied with the recent Rajya Sabha elections from Himachal? Has the party sent wealthy individuals instead of politicians to the Rajya Sabha?
Answer: That is not the case. Various narratives are circulating through the media, but a young person has been given a chance to step forward. I hope he will listen to everyone and travel across all regions, addressing people’s issues.
Question: Recently, Congress leaders in Haryana alleged that tickets were sold. Has something similar happened in Himachal?
Answer: No such circumstances have arisen in Himachal.
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