Kick-starting the election campaign from Kutlehar in the Una district, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said those who sold themselves and indulged in horse trading will not win.

Addressing a public meeting at Samoor Kalan, the chief minister flayed the six Congress rebels who joined the BJP. Lashing out at Leader of the Opposition and former BJP chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, he said, “His (Thakur’s) party has 25 MLAs and he is talking about forming a government in the state, instead he should focus on saving his MLAs from being sold. They can be sold in any market they need to be saved.”

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He said the Congress government with an absolute majority would last for five years. “We do not have the power of money, but the power of public, honesty, ethics, and courage is at our side,” he asserted, claiming to have the proof that the six Congress rebels and three independents have been sold for Rs 15 crore each.

“The layers are gradually unfolding in the police investigation. Who paid the hotel bills, with whose money the services of helicopters were hired, all this is now coming to light. All of them will be put behind bars,” he said, adding that such brokers are not wanted in politics.

He appealed to the people to teach such people a lesson by not voting for them and getting their security deposits confiscated.

“Former Kutlehar MLA Devendra Bhutto used to come to meet me only to call the superintending engineer and executive engineer for the tender of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana, he never raised the problems of the public,” alleged the chief minister.

“He used to give the work related to the public to my PA but never raised the issue with me. After going through the papers handed over to my PA, I kept doing the work for the public,” he claimed, adding that now the fight is between truth and lies.

He said Bhutto would again come up with lies, he needs to be taught a lesson. “I have sounded the election trumpet from Kutlehar, I will reach every Panchayat and every person to get my voice heard. We will win all six seats of by-elections along with the four parliamentary seats,” Sukhu added.

The government has fulfilled five out of 10 guarantees during its tenure of 14 months, he said. “We have given OPS, the government has started schemes like Sukhashraya Yojana for destitute children, Startup Yojana for youth, Day Boarding School, Minimum Sale Price on milk,” he added.

“I am the son of a poor family and a farmer, I have reached the post of chief minister through struggle, hence I understand the pain of the common man,” said the chief minister.

Sukhu called on the public to teach a lesson to those who sell themselves by taking money. “They became MLAs on Congress ticket and indulged in corruption and they will continue to do so by joining BJP. Such people will never serve you, they will only loot and plunder,” he said.

He charged Jai Ram Thakur with trying to grab the chair based on currency notes as he couldn’t get power based on votes.