INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
where the Babri mosque stood in Ayodhya and accused the BJP of lacking the willpower to build it.The veteran Congress leader's view is at
Shimla, the veteran Congress leader also said, "Islam came to India later
The mosque was built after demolishing the temple in Ayodhya.""Ayodhya was the capital of Bhagwan Ram
When you have taken this step (of demolishing the Babri Masjid), build the temple
(Agar ye kadam uthaya to phir mandir bana do)," he added.The former Himachal chief minister also accused the BJP of lacking the courage to
build the temple."If they had the courage, they would have built the temple
The way should be paved for constructing the Ram Mandir there," he said.The construction of a Ram temple at the same spot in Ayodhya was
also a major poll plank of the BJP during the 2014 general elections.Sitting by his side, the Congress Legislative Party leader, Mukesh
Agnihotri said, "The BJP lacks the willpower for building the temple."Mr Singh, however, made it clear that his views on construction of a
four in the state, Mr Singh said, "I will start campaigning in the state after attending the general house meeting (the party workers
meeting) in Kangra on April 15."Asked why he did not attend the party workers meeting in Mandi on Tuesday, Mr Singh avoided a direct reply,
saying he would start campaigning in Himachal from April 15.On whether he would share dais with his "political bete noire" Sukh Ram during
electioneering, Virbhadra Singh said he was not averse to it."If any such situation arises, I will definitely share the dais with him
I have no such differences with him as has been made out in the media
If the party has given its blessings to him and fielded his grandson Ashray (Sharma) from Mandi, I am fully with him," said Mr Singh."I am,
however, personally against the 'Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram' politics," he added, referring to the practice of switching parties.Former Union
former Union telecom minister Sukh Ram's son Anil Sharma, who is a minister in Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government in the state, Mr Singh
said, "Sharma will join the Congress sooner or later.""Instead of hanging like a pendulum, he should start campaigning for his son Aashray,"
he added.Responding to a question on the initial talks on fielding one of his family members from Mandi, he said, "Neither I nor any of my
Thakur from Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat
Mr Thakur has been a five-time MLA and a former minister in the state government."I favoured Sujanpur MLA Rajinder Rana's young son Abhishek
Rana to be fielded from Hamirpur
Rajinder Rana defeated BJP's CM candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal in the last assembly elections from Sujanpur and his son Abhishek would have
been a better choice for Hamirpur," he said.In reply to a question on a section of the party leaders favouring CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri's
candidature for the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat, Mr Singh said, "As an aggressive politician, Agnihotri is required more in the state than the
Centre at this juncture".A section of Congress leaders had been rooting for the party ticket to Mr Agnihotri from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha
constituency, allegedly to oust him from the state politics.Replying to a question on his MLA son Vikramaditya Singh's recent Facebook post
expressing apprehensions of raids by the CBI and Income Tax Department at their residence like the IT raids at Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister
Kamal Nath's close aides, the former CM said, "My life is open to all and the property I own is my ancestral property."Virbhadra Singh and
leaders in the state, he said, "Party president Rahul Gandhi has already addressed a public meeting in Kangra a few weeks ago
He will definitely address more election rallies in Himachal in May.""We will also like Priyanka Gandhi to address at least one rally in HP
as she has a house in state capital Shimla," he added.On a question on his "appreciation" for the present state government's work, he said,
"I have never appreciated the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government's work in the state
The chief minister and other BJP leaders are wrongly quoting me as appreciating his government in their rallies.""If I have appreciated his
work, let them show on record when and where did I do that
They should not spread false propaganda," he said.On the Congress' "poll USPs" in the state, Mr Singh said, "We will campaign on three
First, we will concentrate on unfulfilled promises of the Modi government, second, we will spread awareness about promises made in our
manifesto and third, we will apprise people of the failures of the Thakur government."Get the latest election news, live updates and
election schedule for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 on TheIndianSubcontinent.com/elections
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