The Prime Minister also hailed the One Rank One Pension scheme that ensured pension for the army families in Himachal Pradesh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeated the need for a ‘double engine government’ for better development or Vikas of Himachal Pradesh during his election campaigns. Earlier the PM had reiterated the same ahead of the assembly election in Tripura, Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Goa, where elections were held during February-March this year.
PM Modi at the election rally in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh said, “It is necessary to have rapid progress and a stable government in Himachal Pradesh".
“We gave free vaccines. If there was a Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, then vaccines would have reached Himachal Pradesh at last. You (public) voted on the right button and that's why so much development happened"
The Prime Minister took a dig at the former Congress government and said that they had built only 15 houses for the poeple of Himachal Pradesh during their governance.
He said, “Making false promises and giving false guarantees has been an old trick of Congress. Congress never gave priority to the development of Himachal. BJP has fulfilled its promises made to the people"
“After Independence, Congress committed country's first scam in defence sector. During its regime, Congress always took commissions in defence deals. It committed scams of thousands of crores" alleged PM Modi
Ending his speech, Pm Modi said, “This time Himachal's election is very special. This time, each vote will decide the development journey of Himachal for the next 25 years. People know that BJP means stability, priority to development. People of Himachal have decided to form BJP government again".
Himachal Pradesh will go in for voting on 12 November and the counting of the votes will take place on 8 December.
Voting will be held for all 68 assembly seats in the state.
In the previous election, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 44 seats while Congress won 21 seats in Himachal Pradesh. Congress and the BJP have been alternatively forming governments in the State for over three decades.
Condolences for India's first voter
At the Himachal Pradesh Assembly election 2022 rally, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to independent India's first voter, Shyam Saran Negi, who died aged 106.
Addressing a poll rally here in Mandi district for the November 12 assembly polls in the hill state, Modi said, "When I started from Delhi in the morning, I got to know about the death of Shyam Saran Negi. The 106-year-old had voted more than 30 times in his life."
"Just a few days ago, Negi had cast his vote through postal ballot for the Himachal Pradesh polls. Even before his demise, he discharged his duty," Modi said, adding Negi's outlook towards democracy will inspire the country's youth.
"With a heavy heart, I bow my head to pay homage and express my deepest condolences to his kin," the prime minister said.
The 106-year-old had voted on November 2 through a postal ballot.
The poll panel also mentioned in a further tweet, saying "He inspired millions to vote, even before his demise, he voted for Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 through postal ballot on November 2, 2022."
Several leaders from the BJP and Congress offered condolences to the Negi family. "The BJP expresses deep sorrow and condolences on the demise of independent India's first voter Shyam Saran Negi Ji, the first voter of independent India. May God bless the departed pious soul and give him peace and salvation," the BJP's Himachal unit tweeted.
