Ready to contest from Mandi if party wants: Vikramaditya Singh

Shimla, April 8

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Pratibha Singh today said that connect with youth and good oratory skills were the reasons for the last-minute inclusion of Vikramaditya Singh in the race for the ticket for the Mandi Parliamentary constituency.

Emotional connect with area people

My father Virbhadra Singh contested four times from this seat and won thrice. My mother Pratibha Singh fought five times and won thrice. So, we don’t have just political connect with the people of this area but an emotional connect as well. Vikramaditya Singh

Vikramaditya Singh emerged as the consensual candidate for the Mandi parliamentary constituency in the meeting of the coordination committee in Delhi two days back. The final announcement, though, will be made by Central Election Committee, most probably on April 13.

“Everyone in the meeting recommended his name. They all felt we need to field someone who has a good connect with youth and is a good orator. Kangana is a young girl, so it was felt that someone of her age who is energetic and could impress the voters should be fielded,” said Pratibha Singh.

“The Mandi Parliamentary seat is very important for us. The BJP candidate from this seat has the blessings of the Prime Minister. So, we want to field out best candidate for this contest,” said Pratibha Singh.

Meanwhile, Vikramaditya Singh also sounded ready for the contest. “I am a dedicated soldier of the party. Whatever the party decides, I will abide by that. Whatever responsibility the party gives me, I will carry it out to the best of my abilities, like I have done in the past,” he said.

Having shown the inclination to enter the fray if the party asked him, Singh dwelt on the long association his family has had with the Mandi parliamentary segment. “My father Virbhadra Singh contested four times from this seat and won thrice. My mother Pratibha Singh fought five times and won thrice. So, we don’t have just political connect with the people of this area but an emotional connect as well,” he said.

On this occasion, he also hit back at Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, who ridiculed him for changing his stand. “I would advise the Leader of Opposition to refrain from making personal remarks and fight on issues. I don’t want to go into it but we all know how frequently he used to change his decisions during the pandemic,” said Singh.