BJP's double-engine govt will DERAIL in Himachal Pradesh soon: Sachin Pilot

Shimla: Asserting that the ruling BJP is not able to present a report card in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot has claimed that this is the reason why the party has "thrown all big leaders" including Prime Minister Narendra Modi for campaigning. Pilot, who was campaigning for Congress in the Himachal Assembly polls, said that 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."

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.

Further, taking 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, Pilot said that both the engines will be "seize to function" in Assembly polls and general polls in 2024 respectively.

"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 are getting immense affection. Congress party will form the government with full majority," he said.

Raking up the Old Pension Scheme in the state, Pilot said that it has not been mentioned in the manifesto of the BJP which was released by JP Nadda on Sunday, and assured its (OPS) implementation if the Congress government is formed in the state.

"BJP has not even mentioned OPS in its poll manifesto. The party will fulfil the manifesto given by Congress when the government is formed," he said. Meanwhile, 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, Rs 680 crore Start-up fund for the youth, Rs 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 Rs 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.

The party`s General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that if their government comes to power in the Centre, the Congress will cancel the Agnipath scheme.

"We will cancel the Agnipath scheme when our government will be formed at the Centre. We fulfil whatever we promise. In Chhattisgarh also, we promised for the loan waiver of the farmer and it was implemented," Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said while addressing a public gathering in Kangra.

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