‘Congress will CANCEL AGNIPATH SCHEME if...': Priyanka Gandhi’s BIG announcement in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh

NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Friday made a big announcement, saying that if her party Congress comes to power at the Centre, it will cancel the Narendra Modi’s government’s flagship Agnipath Army recruitment scheme. Priyanka made this announcement while addressing a rally in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district. “We will cancel the Agnipath scheme when our govt will be formed at the Center. What we promise, we fulfill. In Chhattisgarh, we promised farmer’s loan waiver and it was implemented,” Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said.

 

Kangra | We will cancel the Agnipath scheme when our govt will be formed at the centre. What we promise, we fulfill that. In Chhattisgarh, we promised farmer’s loan waiver and it was implemented: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra #HimachalPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/efqSxUZp16 — ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2022

 

It may be noted that despite objections raised by several opposition parties, the Defence Ministry has made it clear that the scheme won't be rolled back. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Telangana have witnessed violent incidents with protesters torching train bogies, and police vehicles, and damaging government property.

Agniveer and unemployment are also crucial issues for the youth that Congress is banking on. Congress has promised that it will provide 5 lakh employment if it comes to power and a 680 crore startup fund.

The party is without its tall leader Virbhadra Singh in this election. He passed away last year. Himachal has been witnessing a bipolar contest between Congress and the BJP but Aam Aadmi Party is also trying to make its presence felt.

The Congress declared its first list of 46 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state with the party fielding senior leaders including Kaul Singh Thakur, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Mukesh Agnihotri, Asha Kumari and Chander Kumar. Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, has again been fielded from Shimla Rural.

The party has fielded sitting 19 MLAs from their traditional seats in the first list. Election Commission announced the schedule for the assembly election in Himachal Pradesh on Friday.

The state will go to the polls on November 12 and the counting of votes will be held on December 8. In the previous election, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 44 seats while Congress won 21 seats.