The Congress candidate from Nadaun Meeting seat and the get together’s former Himachal Pradesh president, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is seen as one of many chief ministerial contenders if the get together involves energy. The 58-year-old talks in regards to the Congress probabilities, his plans and his no-frills Alto automobile. Excerpts:
* What’s the response you might be getting on the bottom?
SUKHU: After I filed my nomination on October 21, round 15,000 folks accompanied me. This was the dimensions of the gathering regardless of Nadaun being a small city. Persons are offended due to value rise, unemployment, police entrance paper leak, inefficiency of the Jai Ram Thakur authorities, and corruption in the course of the pandemic attributable to which the state BJP president (Rajeev Bindal) needed to step down.
* How do you see Congress probabilities within the elections?
SUKHU: Vibrant! Younger, outdated, authorities staff, shopkeepers, farmers — all sections of society are sad with the current authorities. They need change. Literacy charge is excessive within the state, an instance of which was witnessed within the bypolls final yr. Individuals made an knowledgeable selection and elected our candidates in all of the seats — one Lok Sabha and three Meeting.
* What number of seats do you count on to win this time?
SUKHU: I gained’t put a quantity on the seats however a full majority for positive.
* However your get together is riven by inner fights.
SUKHU: There aren’t any inner fights. Kya kisi neta ne doosare neta ke khilaf kabhi kuchh kaha hai? Kya aapne kabhi aisa kuchh padha hai? Agar aisa nahin hai, to antarkalah kahan hai? Hum sab log ikattha hain (Has any chief stated something towards one other chief? Have you ever ever learn any such factor? If this isn’t the case, then the place is the inner battle? We’re all united).
* Experiences stated there have been heated exchanges between representatives of various camps when tickets had been being finalised.
SUKHU: These are all rumours. There is no such thing as a camp in our get together because the dying of (former chief minister) Virbhadra Singh. Then folks used to carry secret conferences and make statements towards one another. There is no such thing as a such factor now.
* Among the many 10 ensures your get together has introduced, it’s stated you will have contributed considerably to the one on milk.
SUKHU: We are going to purchase milk at Rs 80 per kg from farmers and promote it on the prevailing market charge. This can strengthen rural in addition to household economic system.
* Are you a CM candidate?
SUKHU: MLAs and the excessive command will resolve that (if the Congress wins).
* You had been the Pradesh Congress Committee president for six years however by no means a part of the federal government?
SUKHU: After I was the state Congress chief, I used to be supplied the publish of State Finance Fee chairman with Cupboard rank, however I refused as a result of I consider within the one-man, one-post precept. After I was elected MLA for the primary time, there was a suggestion to make me CPS (Chief Parliamentary Secretary). I refused that too due to variations with Virbhadra Singh.
* Your Alto automobile usually grabs eyeballs.
SUKHU: It’s a 2003 mannequin. I nonetheless use it. I don’t love fancy vehicles. I consider in simplicity.
* What are your plans in case you return as MLA?
SUKHU: In the course of the pandemic, I withdrew Rs 11 lakh from my fastened deposit and contributed it together with my wage for the entire yr in direction of the CM reduction fund. We’ll convey a transparency Invoice after we type the federal government. This can apply to all these holding public workplace. Their supply of revenue, unhone kya kharida, unhone kya becha (what they purchased, what they bought), they should declare each element yearly.