What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
As the election campaign in Himachal Pradesh heats up, all eyes will be on the BJP’s Shimla Urban candidate, Sanjay Sood, who rose from humble beginnings to contest one of the state’s most coveted seats.
The upcoming Himachal Pradesh elections will feature some intriguing contests, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) eager to break the trend of the ruling party failing to reclaim power.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress will be hoping that the trend in the hills continues as they seek to retain power.
Amid rising election temperatures, all eyes will be on Shimla Urban constituency where the BJP ‘chaiwala’ candidate is garnering all the eyeballs.
No, we are not talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but Sanjay Sood, who comes from a humble background and runs a tea stall in the hill station, who has risen from the grassroots to contest one of the most coveted seats in the state.
Sood is pitted against Congress’ Harish Janartha. Janartha, a former deputy Mayor and a loyalist of former CM late Virbhadra Singh, is contesting from the Shimla Urban constituency for the second time.
In an interview with The New Indian, after his day-long campaign trail in the capital city, Sood discusses the challenges he faces in the assembly seat.
Anand Singh: What are the challenges in front of you?
Sanjay Sood: Elections are a challenge as I am contesting for the first time in assembly polls. The area is big and I have got less time. Even though the area is well known to me, it is taking time for me to cover the area. But by looking at the energy of my party workers, I am assured that I am winning this election.
Anand Singh: You have risen from being a grassroots worker to being an MLA candidate today.
Sanjay Sood: Since my childhood, I have been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). I joined RSS at the age of nine, and there I learned the importance of doing service.
I started my tea shop and also sold newspapers to support my family. I also worked as a medical representative. But the desire to work for people remained the same.
The BJP has given me a lot. I joined the BJP because it is a nationalist party and I have the same feelings. Slowly and slowly, the party gave me different responsibilities. Today I have been fielded as a BJP candidate. Only in the BJP, a small worker be given big opportunities.
Anand Singh: Suresh Bharadwaj, the state’s Urban Development Minister and a four-time MLA, has been shifted from the Shimla Urban seat. Is there any resentment among the leaders?
Sanjay Sood: No, there are no such feelings. And there is no resentment among anyone, and everyone knows the functioning of the BJP.
He has been the state president of the BJP and is a leader of stature. The party decided to field him from another seat, as there are three seats in Shimla – Urban, Rural and Kasumpti. Fielding him from Kasumpti will ensure that we will win all three seats.
Anand Singh: The BJP launched a new slogan, Riwaz Badalna Hai (change the tradition of not repeating the government). What do you have to say about that?
Sanjay Sood: This slogan has been given by Chief minister Jairam Thakur. In the last five years, the Himachal government has worked a lot for the people. Even under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many projects and schemes were brought to the state by the Chief Minister. And looking at our organisation and people’s aspirations, we have to change the tradition and repeat the government.
Anand Singh: The Congress is questioning why the BJP has not fulfilled its promise. How do you look at the allegations?
Sanjay Sood: All allegations made by the Congress are baseless. The three Chief ministers of the BJP have done a lot of development work in the state. Development happens whenever the BJP government is in power.
Anand Singh: If you win elections from Shimla Urban, what will be your priority for the city?
Sanjay Sood: My priority will be to meet the basic needs of the people. But the traffic in Shimla needs special attention. So my priority will be to address the traffic problem in the city.
