As Congress remained undecided about the candidature of two seats, Kangra and Hamirpur, for the Lok Sabha elections slated for June 1, cabinet rank MLA from Nagrota Bagwan, R S Bali, has expressed his reluctance to contest from Kangra.

Putting an end to the speculations of him being fielded for the LS polls, Bali expressed keenness to work in his Assembly constituency, which had also been the constituency of his late father G S Bali, a four-time MLA and a former minister.

While talking to the media here on Friday on the speculations of Congresses’ choice to contest the Kangra parliamentary seat, the debutant MLA, Bali said it has been only 15 months since he became a legislator and he intends to work for the people of his assembly constituency.

There are many senior leaders in the Kangra parliamentary constituency and they could be the party pick to contest the elections, said, adding he has also put forward his views before Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Furthermore, in a written communique to the All India Congress Committee (AICC), President Mallikarjun Kharge, Bali who is AICC Secretary stated that he had learned from media reports that his name has surfaced in the survey of the party and was also discussed in the meeting of the Central Election Committee.

He said no one had spoken to him about his contesting the LS polls and added that since he has only completed 15 months as a legislator his priority is to serve the people of his Assembly constituency who had instilled faith in him and made him victorious with the highest vote margin in the 2022 elections in the state.

He said is a soldier of the Congress party and had contested the elections on the principle of ‘I do what I say’ hence keeping in mind his resolution his priority is development and providing employment which he relates it to his credibility along with the party.

He urged the high command to discuss it with him before any decision so that he could take it up with the people of his constituency, who were like his family and had supported him after the loss of his parents.