People of HP will not accept AAP: Jai Ram Thakur

New Delhi, April 25 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said the state will not accept outsiders and ruled out Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a competitor for the BJP in the state which goes to polls later this year, expressing confidence that his party will return to power.
Thakur, who was in Delhi for inauguration of a new media center at the Himachal Bhawan, said Himachal has always been a state with two players- the BJP and the Congress.
“Himachal Pradesh is a state which has never accepted a third alternative. AAP is contesting the elections but they will not be accepted by people of Himachal Pradesh,” Thakur said.
He also slammed the AAP for making corruption allegations against his government.
“We have been in government for four and a half years, there is no allegation of corruption against our government. AAP is trying to make corruption allegations, but it will not work,” he said.
AAP Spokesperson SS Jogta had earlier this month alleged corruption in the state government and demanded the removal of Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh.
Thakur said the AAP had no leadership in the state and is importing leaders from Punjab. He also said in the AAP roadshow in the state, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann were present, but the state leadership was given no space.
He also said AAP won in Punjab as it had a presence in the party, including MPs and MLAs, but the situation is not same in Himachal. He further pointed out that the AAP state president Anoop Kesari, and other joined the BJP.
“They had to shut down their state unit, they will reconstitute it, only time will tell,” he said.
“Their campaign has lost steam because their state chief left and joined the BJP. This party is ideologically non-existent. They have got some space because of the situation, they will not go on for very long,” he said.
He also stressed that the recent announcements on rebates in electricity bills and bus fare for women were not freebies. Thakur said the state government was earlier giving 60 units free to the poor which has been increased to 125 units, while women were getting 25 percent discount in bus fares which has been increased to 50 percent.
“We are not giving anything free, it is just a concession for the weaker sections. Himachal is a power surplus state, why should’nt we provide some relief to the poor,” he said.
Thakur also slammed the AAP and said after making tall promises in Punjab, they are now wondering how to implement those promises.
Asked about the challenge posed by the Congress, which is at present consulting political strategist Prashant Kishor for next Lok Sabha elections as well as upcoming assembly polls including that in Himachal Pradesh, he said BJP is strong in the state.
“Prashant Kishor is advising them (Congress), it is for them to decide… I can only say BJP has a very strong network in Himachal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a personal connect with Himachal.. He is emotionally attached to people and people of state are attached to him. JP Nadda is the BJP president… there is no scope for any other party in the state,” he said.
He ,however , added that elections should always be seen as a challenge and expressed confidence that the BJP will win the state again.
“Elections should always be seen as a challenge. Our challenge is to repeat the government. Since 1985 no government has been repeated here. In the recent polls, same thing was said about Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand but BJP returned to power,” he said.
He also said the results of bypolls last year gave the party an opportunity to introspect and changes have been made in the organisation as well as the government.
In November last year, Congress had won the Mandi Lok Sabha seats, and Fatehpur, Jubbal-Kotkhai and Arki Assembly constituencies.
At present, the BJP has 43 MLAs and Congress has 22 MLAs in the 68 member Himachal Pradesh assembly.