Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls | Congress contesting under collective leadership, says Bhupesh Baghel

Bhupesh Baghel lashed out at BJP for dashing the people’s hopes by failing to deliver on promises made in 2017.

The Congress is contesting Himachal Pradesh polls under a "collective leadership" and does not announce a chief ministerial candidate before the election when it does not have an incumbent CM, party's senior observer Bhupesh Baghel said on November 6, 2022 dismissing the BJP's criticism over "infighting".

The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister also said politics will be run by leaders of the state, following speculation that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could take up a prominent role if the party wins the November 12 election.

Lashing out at the BJP, Mr. Baghel accused it of dashing the people's hopes by failing to deliver on promises made in 2017 and urged the people of the hill state to elect their "own government" by supporting the Congress.

In an interview to PTI, Baghel alleged the 'double engine' government of the BJP was a "troubled engine" due to which the people of Himachal are facing "a slew of difficulties" which "the Congress can end."

Asked about resource mobilisation to implement the lofty promises in the Congress manifesto including one lakh jobs, ₹1500 for adult women, Rs 680 crore Start Up fund, he said, "We will ensure financial discipline and mobilise resources by increasing people's purchasing power. Once their power to purchase increases, state exchequer will naturally expand as we will earn more in taxes." Mr. Baghel said the Congress will "put back on people's plates all that the BJP has taken away by way of GST."

"We are talking of raising the income of the people as their lives have become difficult due to inflation which is sapping their finances. The BJP-led Centre is fuelling the price rise and Congress, if elected, will empower the people financially. We have done this in Chhattisgarh and will do it in Himachal Pradesh," he told PTI.

Noting that inflationary trends in Himachal were accompanied by a rise in unemployment, Baghel, in a swipe at the ruling BJP, said, "This is not a double engine government but a troubled engine one." Asked about the role of Congress general secretary Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is spearheading the election campaign in Himachal, Mr. Baghel replied, "Priyanka Gandhi is a national leader. The politics of the state will be run by leaders of the state.