Pratibha Singh, while talking to reporters here on Wednesday, said that she has decided not to contest the parliamentary elections, as the ground situation was not conducive for the Congress in the state.
Pratibha Singh ( File photo PTI)
Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president and sitting Member of Parliament Pratibha Singh has shown her reluctance to contest the Lok Sabha poll from Mandi.
A day after returning to Shimla from the Congress Working Committee and Screening Committee meetings held in Delhi, Pratibha Singh, while talking to reporters here on Wednesday, said that she has decided not to contest the parliamentary elections, as the ground situation was not conducive for the Congress in the state.
The party is yet to finalize names of the candidates for all four LS seats, namely, Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur and Shimla.
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Her decision has now given a big jolt to the preparations of the party in the run-up to the parliamentary elections that is scheduled to be held on June 1 in Himachal Pradesh.
Wife of former six-time Chief Minister late Virbhadra Singh, the three-time MP Pratibha Singh was seen as a frontrunner for the Mandi seat.
“I have toured the state extensively. The party workers, who had worked hard in the Assembly elections to ensure victory of Congress, are presently disappointed, as they felt neglected by their own government. And with such a situation, I don’t think we can achieve success. You cannot win elections by distributing MPLAD funds. So I have decided not to contest the election,” said Singh.
“The party workers are inactive. They should have been given responsibility and importance on time, so that they could come out in the field,” she said, questioning who will work for the party.
“The elections are won because of the workers as they play an important role. That is why I had repeatedly conveyed this to the government that they should be given importance,” she said.
“I had conveyed to the high command to field whoever is fit and we will work for them in the field,” said Pratibha Singh.
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