Opposition CPI(M) had decided to put two of its candidates in the fray for the first time in Mandi and Shimla (reserve) Parliamentary seat for Lok Sabha, the party senior leader announced in Mandi town on Friday.
Addressing media persons, state secretary of CPI(M) Rakesh Singha announced that Kushal Bhardwaj (43) would be the party candidate in the fray from Mandi parliamentary seat and Jagat Ram (46) district Shimla CITU general secretary from Shimla Lok Sabha seat. Party state secretariat member Mr. Bhardwaj entered in the public life from Student Federation of India (SFI), who has been president of Student Association of Himachal Pradesh University for two times.
Whereas, 46 years old Mr. Ram has been considered convener of down trodden working class as state secretary of Lal Jhanda Union, one of the united mass movement in this hill state. Mr. Singha who has been member of party state legislative assembly from Shimla town announced that party would try to garner public mandate after forming a Jan Morcha with non-BJP non-Congress party soon.
The party decided to contest the two seats after putting its own candidates in the fray for first time after many years as this decision was taken in party state secretariat meeting held at Mandi today. It was attended by Party Kissan Sabha Secretary Onkar Shad, CITU state General Secretary Kashmir Singh Thakur, Municipal Corporation Shimla Mayor Sanjay Chauhan, and Deputy Mayor Tekinder Singh Panwar and Kissan Sabha General President Kuldeep Singh Tanwar.
He lambasted the ruling Congress rule in this hill state that it had handed over about 103 state run hospital labs to private pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy with one go without following the tender process.
One year of Congress rule in this hill state was painful for the people of this hill state as Universal PDS system was completely dismantled in its rule in the name of so-called Food Security Act.