Virbhadra Singh at jawalaMukhi

By Bijende Sharma
JAWALAMUKHI,March 31.--Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said today that had the central leadership of the Congress campaigned in Himachal the way it did in Gujarat, the party would have retained the hill state. He said the state had virtually been given on a platter to the BJP. "I was alone campaigning in Himachal while Congress leaders from the Centre who were to visit the state went to Gujarat, where they failed to deliver," he said.Singh said the top brass of the BJP right from Advani to Sushma Swaraj to Rajnath Singh came to Himachal in waves, creating a wave which gave momentum to the BJP campaign. He said in the absence of central leaders, the campaigning was left to him alone.Talking to reporters here Virbhadra Singh said that the same chunk of party people, who were instrumental in allotting party tickets to wrong candidates, which led to the party defeat in the last elections, were once again misleading the high command about him.He added that the he would take any responsibility given by the high command, as he was a soldier of the Congress party. "I am ready to share any responsibility as and when it comes from the high command," he said.Virbhadra Singh said the Dhumal government had nothing new to offer to the state in the budget as all work were started by the previous Congress government under him. The hike for daily wagers, subsidies on rations and other schemes were programmes of his government, he added.He said another reason which led to the Congress defeat in the state was the wrong distribution of assembly tickets. "We lost some of the seats when the tickets were given as the candidates there failed to save even their security deposit," he said. He said that the Congress would extend support to the BJP on pro-people programmes but it would not hesitate to oppose and agitate against decisions that were not in the interest of the state and its people.