Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 2 (ANI): The Himachal Pradesh Congress on Thursday launched a statewide membership and induction campaign ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, with former BJP leader and two-time BJP Assembly candidate from Rampur, Brij Lal, joining the Congress along with around 300 supporters.
Addressing the media after inducting Brij Lal into the party, Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh said the Congress was strengthening its organisation across the state by welcoming leaders and workers who wished to join the party.
“Rampur is my home constituency, and it is a matter of happiness that Brij Lal, who was a prominent BJP leader in the area, has joined the Congress along with hundreds of workers. We will work together for the development of Rampur and further strengthen the Congress organisation there,” Singh told ANI.
Referring to the recently concluded Panchayat Samiti elections, Singh said the Congress had secured both the President and Vice-President posts in Rampur and expressed confidence that the party would perform well in the upcoming local body elections, including those in Nankhari and municipal institutions.
He added that the Congress was making continuous efforts to strengthen its base across Himachal Pradesh and would continue to welcome leaders and workers from any political background who wished to join voluntarily.
The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee President Vinay Kumar said the induction of Brij Lal marked the beginning of a larger organisational campaign that would be expanded across the state.
“We have started this initiative from Rampur. Brij Lal was a senior BJP leader and had contested two Assembly elections on the BJP ticket. He told us that he felt the BJP had become a party dominated by a few leaders, and therefore decided to join the Congress. Today, around 300 workers from Rampur have joined the Congress along with him,” Kumar told ANI.
He further said Brij Lal had joined the Congress without placing any conditions and was welcomed wholeheartedly into the party.
“This campaign has been launched today, and similar requests are coming from several Assembly constituencies. We will organise such programmes across Himachal Pradesh as part of a statewide initiative. This is the right time to strengthen the organisation ahead of the election year,” Kumar added.
Speaking on the Congress’ grassroots strength, Kumar claimed the party continued to enjoy public support in Himachal Pradesh.
“The Congress has won the highest number of Panchayati Raj institutions in the state. We also hold leadership positions in several municipal committees, Nagar Panchayats and Block Development Committees. The public mandate is with Congress. If there are any political challenges, they arise because the BJP relies primarily on the power of money,” he alleged.
After joining the Congress, Brij Lal said he took the decision after feeling ignored by the BJP leadership despite serving the party for several years.
“I contested two Assembly elections from Rampur on the BJP ticket. Although I did not win, the party gave me the opportunity. Before the last election, I was hopeful of getting the ticket again, but it was denied. I continued working for the party, but I was deeply disappointed when the BJP did not field a candidate from Rampur and instead imposed an outsider. I believe this decision was influenced by former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur,” Brij Lal told ANI.
He alleged that despite serving as a BJP state spokesperson and being a member of the party’s state executive, he had been sidelined over the past three years.
“I worked tirelessly to build the BJP in the region, but after being ignored by the top leadership and the organisation, I felt I had only two choices: either remain at home or continue serving society through another political platform. After discussions with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Minister Vikramaditya Singh, MP Pratibha Singh and HPCC President Vinay Kumar, I decided to join the Congress,” he said.
Brij Lal claimed that many BJP workers in Rampur were dissatisfied with the party’s functioning.
“Today, around 300 BJP workers have joined the Congress with me, and many more have been calling to express their willingness to follow. Thousands of workers in Rampur are likely to leave the BJP in the coming days. There is no condition attached to my joining. I have joined the Congress unconditionally and will work day and night to ensure the Congress candidate wins Rampur with a huge majority in the next Assembly election,” he added. (ANI)
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