Vikramaditya Singh Highlights Congress' Role in Tribal Area Development During Lahaul-Spiti Campaign..
KEYLONG: Congress candidate from the Mandi parliamentary constituency and Public Works Minister, Vikramaditya Singh, has emphasized the significant contributions of the Congress party to the development of tribal areas.
Addressing an election rally in Udaipur, Lahaul-Spiti district, Singh credited the Congress for major developmental initiatives, notably the construction of the Rohtang Tunnel, which he described as a monumental gift from the Congress to the region.
He asserted that the BJP's role was limited to the inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while it was the UPA government under Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh that allocated the budget, and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi who laid the foundation stone of this historic tunnel.
During his speech, Singh highlighted the deep connection of former Chief Minister late Virbhadra Singh with the tribal areas. Virbhadra Singh, who led the Congress government in the state six times, was well-acquainted with the issues of the tribal communities and worked consistently to address them. Vikramaditya Singh attributed the substantial development in the region to the efforts of Virbhadra Singh.
Singh further mentioned that the Congress government in the state had passed the Forest Rights Act (FRA) aimed at benefiting tribal areas, which is currently pending approval from the state governor.
He stressed that since the state cabinet has approved this act, the governor must grant his approval, restoring the rights of the tribal communities.
Criticizing the BJP, Singh remarked that their candidate lacks understanding of the state's religious and cultural values, pointing to the candidate's controversial remarks about the Dalai Lama.
He suggested that the candidate is more focused on their film career, predicting they will return to it post-elections. Singh also noted internal dissatisfaction within the BJP regarding their candidate selection, highlighting the sidelining of senior BJP leaders.
Vikramaditya Singh campaigned on a platform of development for the Mandi parliamentary constituency, contrasting it with the BJP candidate's lack of vision, who, according to Singh, relies solely on invoking the Prime Minister's name for votes.
Singh also urged voters to support Anuradha Rana in the Lahaul-Spiti Assembly by-election, promising that her victory would ensure that the region's issues are raised effectively in the state assembly.
Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sunder Thakur, present at the rally, praised the Congress leadership for fielding a promising and experienced young leader like Vikramaditya Singh.
Thakur expressed confidence that Singh's election to the Lok Sabha would amplify the state's voice at the national level, ensuring focused development for the Mandi parliamentary constituency.
