‘Double-engine govt will derail soon in Himachal’: Sachin Pilot’s jibe at BJP

Pilot, who was campaigning for Congress in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh, said the voters are “inclined towards the party” while also claiming that the ruling party (BJP) has “not done any work” in the last five years.

Addressing the media here, Pilot said, “The voters are inclined towards Congress in the elections. BJP has not done any work in five years. BJP is not able to give the report card in front of the public. This is the reason why BJP has thrown all big leaders including PM for the campaign.”

He further took a swipe at the ‘double-engine government’, a term coined by the BJP to imply the party’s governments at the Centre as well as the state, and said that both the engines will be “seize to function” in Assembly polls and general polls in 2024 respectively, as per ANI reports.

“The double-engine government of the BJP will derail soon. One engine of the government of double engine will seize to function on November 12 and the other in 2024. There is infighting in BJP in the state, which is why the wave of change is being seen in Himachal. During the campaign, the Congress party in Himachal Pradesh is getting immense affection. Congress party will form the government with full majority,” he was quoted by ANI.

Recently, PM Modi hit the turf in poll-bound Himachal on November 5 to campaign for the BJP urging the people to vote for the party to bring it back to power. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also held several rallies in the state in which he slammed Congress over a range of issues.

Speaking about the party’s manifesto that has been released for Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, Pilot said the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) has not been mentioned in the manifesto of the BJP which was released by JP Nadda on Sunday and assured its implementation if the Congress government is formed in the state.

Congress released its manifesto last week with ’10 guarantees’.

The 10 guarantees of Congress include the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme, 1 lakh government jobs, as many as 5 lakh jobs for youth, ₹680 crore Start-up fund for the youth, ₹1,500 per month to the women, and free electricity up to 300 units of consumption.

The Himachal Pradesh election manifesto of the Congress also assured the people of the hilly state of four English-medium schools in each assembly, mobile clinics for free treatment in each village, the cost price of cow dung at ₹2 per kilogram, purchase of 10 liters of milk from animal keepers, and the farm owners will be given the liberty to decide the price for their farm produce, ANI reported.

The elections in the hill state are slated to be held on November 12, whose votes will be counted on December 8.

(With ANI inputs)