Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh has said the Congress has a huge contribution in the development of tribal areas in the state.

While addressing the election rally in Udaipur of Lahaul Spiti district on Friday, he said that the construction of Rohtang Tunnel is a big contribution of Congress to this region.

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The BJP has no contribution in this except that their Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it, said Singh who is the Congress candidate from Mandi parliamentary constituency,

“The Prime Minister of the then UPA government, Dr Manmohan Singh, gave the budget for this and the foundation stone of this historic tunnel was laid by the then UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi,” he said.

Former Chief Minister Late Virbhadra Singh had great affection for the tribal areas, he said, adding that he was well aware of the problems of the people of this area and used to solve them from time to time.

Whatever development has taken place in this area today has been the contribution of Virbhadra Singh because he led the Congress government in the state six times as the Chief Minister, he added.

Forest Rights Act (FRA) in tribal areas has been passed by the Congress government of the state and it is still pending with the Governor of the state for approval, he claimed.

“Since this Act has been passed by the Cabinet of the State Government, the Governor will have to give his approval to it. This is the right of the people of tribal areas which Congress has restored,” he said.

Launching a scathing attack on BJP, Singh said that the party has fielded actress Kangna Ranaut from Mandi parliamentary constituency, who neither has any knowledge of his religion nor of the religious culture of the state.

Her candidature has led to great dissatisfaction within BJP ranks in the state for having sidelined the senior leaders in the state, he claimed.

Condemning the way she used abusive language against the spiritual leader of Buddhism, the Dalai Lama, Singh said that the people of the state, especially the followers of Buddhism, will never forgive her.

“She is in Himachal these days on election shooting and will return to her film world after June 4,” he said, taking a dig at Kangna.

Singh said that he is contesting the election with the agenda of development of Mandi parliamentary constituency, whereas the BJP candidate does not have any vision for the development of the area.

Kangna is seeking votes only by praising the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he asserted.

Urging the people of the area to vote for Anuradha Rana to ensure her victory with a huge majority in the Lahaul-Spiti assembly by-election, he said that Anuradha will become the voice of this region in the state assembly.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sundar Thakur said that this time the Congress high command has fielded a very promising, young and experienced leader of the state, who is completely dedicated to the development of the state and Mandi parliamentary constituency.

He said that after Vikramaditya Singh becomes MP, the voice of the state will be raised in the Lok Sabha.