In Chamba, Priyanka Gandhi targets PM Modi for trying to 'topple' Congress govt, says he can’t be Himachal’s well-wisher

Naresh Thakur

Chamba, May 27

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP and the PM, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Monday said PM Narendra Modi who tried to “topple” a democratically elected government could not be a well-wisher of Himachal Pradesh.

Addressing an election rally at the historic Chaugan in Chamba town, Priyanka accused the PM of trying to topple the elected government by using money power and buying out MLAs. “Is this the honest politics we want?” she questioned.

She alleged that PM Modi and BJP leaders wanted to retain power by hook or by crook even if that meant indulging in corrupt practices. She said the Agniveer scheme was also a product of such practices.

She also criticised Modi for being “disconnected” with the people of Himachal and Chamba, accusing him of visiting the state only as a tourist and not providing aid during the 2023 flood disaster. She said that during the monsoon disaster in Himachal last year, the BJP did not provide any support, despite Modi calling Himachal his second home.

She contrasted this with the Congress’s efforts, saying the Congress leaders were on the ground sharing the public’s grief and providing relief.

She said the high unemployment rate and vacancies in the government sector were due to the BJP‘s flawed policies, which “favoured” only Modi’s billionaires friends.

“Under the BJP rule, farmers don’t get fair price for their crops, number of jobless youth is highest in 70 years, prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing but you won’t listen words like unemployment and inflation from the PM’s mouth,” she said.

Priyanka said that rather than empowering people, the BJP government had tried to weaken  society.

Reflecting on the tradition of the Congress, she invoked the legacies of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, emphasising their commitment to serving the people.

She accused the BJP of breaking promises and being untrustworthy, pointing out that the BJP has become the richest political party in just 10 years. They accuse the Congress of being corrupt, but the Congress didn’t become richest political party despite being in power for 55 years, she said.