Work hard to help BJP return to power in Uttarakhand: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi to party workers

Dehradun, Sep 16 (PTI) Union Minister and the BJP's election in-charge for Uttarakhand Pralhad Joshi on Thursday called on party office-bearers to work hard for the upcoming assembly polls so that the party can break the state's tradition of unseating the incumbent government every five years.

The parliamentary affairs minister was addressing BJP office-bearers after he arrived here to review the party's preparations for the Uttarakhand Assembly polls due early next year.

This is Joshi's first visit to Uttarakhand after he was appointed the poll in-charge for the state earlier this month.

All BJP workers have to work collectively to strengthen the organisation up to the booth level to help the party return to power in Uttarakhand after the 2022 polls and break the state's tradition of changing governments every five years, Joshi said.

Much like the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, which has worked without facing any charge of corruption for the last seven years, the state government, too, has worked with honesty during its tenure so far, he said.

"There was a series of scams in the state during the tenure of the previous Congress government," he added.

Accompanied by co-incharge Locket Chatterjee and BJP national spokesperson R P Singh, Joshi was received at the Jolly Grant Airport by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, state BJP president Madan Kaushik and former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Carrying party flags, BJP workers lined the streets to welcome Joshi and the other leaders, whose convoy passed through Bhaniyawala, Doiwala, Jogiwala, Rispana bridge, Dharampur, Araghar, Nanny's Chawk and Dilaram Chowk.

The BJP Yuva Morcha took out a bike rally along the route, while party workers showered flower petals on the passing convoy and burst firecrackers.

Joshi, Chatterjee and Singh first garlanded the statue of Bhimrao Ambedkar, a key architect of India's Constitution, at the Clock Tower in the heart of the city. Later, they garlanded the statue of Bharatiya Jana Sangh co-founder Deendayal Upadhyay.

They also paid floral tributes at the Shaheed Smarak to those who lost their lives during the Uttarakhand statehood movement.

"People's struggle and sacrifices led to the creation of Uttarakhand. The BJP will honour the martyrdom of the martyrs and fulfil the aspirations that guided the statehood movement," Joshi said.

"So much is yet to be done for the development of Uttarakhand and the BJP government is making serious efforts in that direction," he said. PTI ALM DIV DIV