HP Minister Vikramaditya Singh dismissed rumours of a rift with CM Sukhu over a statue unveiling. He stressed his focus on public welfare, affirmed Congress unity, and highlighted concerns about voter roll deletions and winter fuel supplies.
No Resentment Over Statue Unveiling
Himachal Pradesh Public Works and Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh, on Wednesday, dismissed speculation that he was unhappy over Virbhadra Singh’s statue unveiling programme in Sarahan on Sunday. Answering the question, he said he had no regret over the absence of the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, as such a programme was organised earlier as well in the presence of all Congress state and national leadership.
Speaking with ANI, Singh said voters had supported him in successive elections with increasingly larger margins and maintained that political developments should not always be viewed through the prism of electoral calculations. “There is no resentment or disappointment on my part over the statue unveiling programme, which is unnecessarily raised by the opposition BJP; I have no regret about it. In Shimla, a similar statue was unveiled earlier in the presence of National and state leadership. The people have always given me their love and support. I am thankful to the people of the state and his Constituency; when I contested for the first time, they elected me with a large margin, and when I contested the second time, the margin was even higher,” he said.
Focus on Public Service and Congress Unity
Singh said his priority was to reach out to more people, work for their welfare and raise their concerns, adding that the outcome of future elections would be decided by the electorate. “We try to connect with as many people as possible, work for them and raise their voices. The people will decide the electoral consequences in due course,” he said.
Addressing questions about divisions within the Congress, Singh said party leaders might have different political faces and groupings, but their collective allegiance remained with the party’s national leadership. “They may be divided into different groups, but our group is one. We are all part of Rahul Gandhi’s team and Sonia Gandhi’s team. Faces may change, but we have no reason to be concerned. It is our responsibility to strengthen Sonia Gandhi’s hands and work for the party and the country,” he said.
Honouring Congress’s Legacy in Himachal
Singh said the Congress had a long political and developmental legacy in Himachal Pradesh, which needed to be remembered and carried forward. He referred to the state’s first Chief Minister Yashwant Singh Parmar, its second Chief Minister, Thakur Ram Lal, and former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, saying all three had made significant contributions to the Congress party and the development of Himachal Pradesh.
“These leaders left behind a long legacy for the Congress party and for the development of the state. It is our collective responsibility to pay tribute to them, remember their contributions and take their work to the people,” Singh said.
He said the history of Himachal Pradesh’s development could not be discussed without acknowledging the contributions of Parmar, Ram Lal and Virbhadra Singh. Just as the country’s national development history was incomplete without the contributions of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, Singh said, Himachal Pradesh’s development story was incomplete without its former Congress chief ministers. He described their contributions as the party’s legacy and heritage, adding that remembering them was a moral responsibility of both governments and individuals.
Concerns Over Winter Petroleum Supplies
Singh also spoke about concerns regarding the availability of petroleum products in Himachal Pradesh, particularly in areas that experience heavy snowfall during winter. He said the state government was making efforts to strengthen supplies and that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had written to Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri regarding the issue. Singh said he had also raised the matter of escalation costs, but maintaining supplies remained essential.
“We are making every effort. The Chief Minister has written to Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and we will also speak to him and request that the supply chain in Himachal Pradesh be strengthened,” he said.
He said areas in Sirmaur, Chamba, Bharmour, Kullu and the higher reaches of Shimla were particularly vulnerable during winter, when snowfall could disrupt transportation and make it difficult to replenish essential supplies. “During winter, when snowfall occurs in these mountainous areas, transportation becomes difficult. Adequate quantities of petroleum products must be available for heating and other essential requirements. Himachal Pradesh does not produce these products locally, so supplies have to come from outside the state,” Singh said.
He said the government would continue to pursue the matter to ensure that the supply chain was strengthened and adequate stocks were available in vulnerable areas before the onset of severe winter conditions.
Allegations Against Election Commission on Voter Rolls
Meanwhile, speaking with ANI, Singh raised concerns over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged that the process had resulted in the deletion of a very large number of voters’ names. Referring to media reports, including an investigation published by The Indian Express, Singh alleged that the reports had raised serious questions about the functioning of the Election Commission and the conduct of the revision exercise. He referred to reported written objections by election officials to the Cabinet Secretary, alleging that concerns about irregularities had been formally raised.
Singh also alleged that there were questions regarding the relationship between the Chief Election Commissioner and other members of the Commission. “These are serious issues. The reports appearing in newspapers and the media, particularly the detailed investigation by *The Indian Express*, have raised important questions about the Election Commission,” he said.
Singh claimed that approximately 13 crore names had been removed from electoral rolls through the SIR process and said such a large number of deletions warranted scrutiny. “Thirteen crore people is the population of several countries. If such a large number of names have been deleted from the electoral rolls, what could be a bigger concern about the integrity of the process? These issues must be examined,” he said.
Singh argued that the Election Commission had a constitutional responsibility to ensure free and fair elections and that concerns about voter deletions should not be dismissed as merely a political dispute. Singh said the issue was not confined to the Congress party, describing it as a matter of concern for all political parties and citizens. “Congress, as the principal Opposition party, has a responsibility, and Rahul Gandhi is fulfilling that responsibility. But this issue concerns all political parties and the people of the country,” he said.
Protests to Resume After Festive Season
He also criticised the treatment of young people participating in protests, alleging that demonstrators had been detained and their voices suppressed. Singh said the protests would continue after the festive period, as Opposition parties had decided not to disrupt business during the Diwali and Dussehra season.
“Everyone has decided that we should not harm the businesses of traders during the festive season, when they earn a significant part of their income. Once Diwali is over, the protests against the system will resume across the country,” he said. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)