BJP observers Nirmala <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/2017himachal-pradesh-elections-himachal-poll-live-results-27015">Sitharaman, Narendra Singh Tomar and</a> party in-charge for Himachal Mangal Pandey held a meeting with RSS leaders in Shimla today.

Even as the meeting <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-slowly-losing-power-ruling-only-four-states-following-election-27109">was going on supporters of former Himachal </a>CM Prem Kumar Dhumal who lost the recent state polls raised slogans in his support.

Senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar said observers have come from Delhi, raising slogans in favour of any one leader by party workers was wrong.

&quot;If I was the party president, I would have expelled such workers,&quot; Shanta Kumar said.

Dhumal was the chief ministerial face for Himachal but he lost the elections leading the BJP to hunt for a new chief minister.

Jairam Thakur who beat Chet Ram of the Congress from Seraj constituency is expected to be the next chief minister but the party is still looking for an acceptable face to lead the state which was earlier led by Congress.

The BJP won 44 seats in the 68-member house in Himachal with the Congress way behind with 21 seats. The only consolation for the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress was that Himachal Pradesh has a history of changing the ruling formation at its helm every five years.

Congress saw a jump of about 10 per cent in its vote share as compared to the last Assembly polls in 2012 but the BJP romped home with the required numbers to form a government in the state.

The CPI(M) made its presence felt by winning the Theog seat after 24 years. The party had won one seat in 1962, 1972 and 1993, but had drawn a blank in successive polls.

Even as the meeting was going on supporters of former Himachal CM Prem Kumar Dhumal who lost the recent state polls raised slogans in his support.

BJP observers Nirmala Sitharaman, Narendra Singh Tomar and party in-charge for Himachal Mangal Pandey held a meeting with RSS leaders in Shimla today. Even as the meeting was going on supporters of former Himachal CM Prem Kumar Dhumal who lost the recent state polls raised slogans in his support. Senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar said observers have come from Delhi, raising slogans in favour of any one leader by party workers was wrong. "If I was the party president, I would have expelled such workers," Shanta Kumar said. Dhumal was the chief ministerial face for Himachal but he lost the elections leading the BJP to hunt for a new chief minister. Jairam Thakur who beat Chet Ram of the Congress from Seraj constituency is expected to be the next chief minister but the party is still looking for an acceptable face to lead the state which was earlier led by Congress. The BJP won 44 seats in the 68-member house in Himachal with the Congress way behind with 21 seats. The only consolation for the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress was that Himachal Pradesh has a history of changing the ruling formation at its helm every five years. Congress saw a jump of about 10 per cent in its vote share as compared to the last Assembly polls in 2012 but the BJP romped home with the required numbers to form a government in the state. The CPI(M) made its presence felt by winning the Theog seat after 24 years. The party had won one seat in 1962, 1972 and 1993, but had drawn a blank in successive polls.

Himachal elections: BJP observers hold meeting with RSS leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for strengthening the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at booth levels across India for &quot;victory in 2019 Lok Sabha elections&quot;. The Prime Minister was speaking at BJP&#39;s parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi

Union minister Ananth Kumar, also present in the meeting, said that the PM also called for promotion of youth in and outside party.

He also urged party leaders not to be affected by the opposition&#39;s &quot;disinformation&quot; campaign against the BJP, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters.

Booth level work, which is the root of a poll campaign, is the mother of an election victory, Kumar quoted Modi as saying.

Party sources said Modi turned emotional a few times as he recalled how the party organisation was built in Gujarat and young leaders were groomed by their seniors, including former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

All elected lawmakers and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-hails-gujarat-himachal-results-has-eyes-set-on-2019-27079">BJP chief Amit Shah</a> are present at the parliamentary party meet, which began at around 10 am on Wednesday.

One of the chief agendas to be picked up in this meeting is the chief ministerial faces of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/assembly-elections-2017-see-how-gujarat-voted-27051">Gujarat</a> and Himachal.

The BJP managed to pull a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-set-to-form-government-in-himachal-27056">landslide victory in Himachal Pradesh</a>, but its chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal lost his Sujanpur constituency to Congress. State BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti also lost his seat.

Their defeat has put a question mark on the face of the next chief minister.

Source told Zee News that Union minister JP Nadda and newly-elected BJP MLA Jairam Thakur are the frontrunners of Chief Minister&#39;s post.

Meanwhile in Gujarat, where the BJP managed to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gujarat-elections-2017-live-results-27014">retain power for a record sixth time</a>, is mulling a course correction after losing several seats to Congress.

The party leadership is reportedly considering a new face to replace the incumbent Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, despite his victory from the Rajkot West seat.

Among the names floating around are Textiles and Information &amp; Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Minister Smriti Irani and Union Minister of State for Road Transport &amp; Highways and Shipping Mansukh L Mandaviya.

Irani, however, has denied being a contender for the CM&#39;s post.

One of the chief agendas to be picked up in this meeting is the chief ministerial faces of Gujarat and Himachal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for strengthening the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at booth levels across India for "victory in 2019 Lok Sabha elections". The Prime Minister was speaking at BJP's parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi Union minister Ananth Kumar, also present in the meeting, said that the PM also called for promotion of youth in and outside party. He also urged party leaders not to be affected by the opposition's "disinformation" campaign against the BJP, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters. Booth level work, which is the root of a poll campaign, is the mother of an election victory, Kumar quoted Modi as saying. Party sources said Modi turned emotional a few times as he recalled how the party organisation was built in Gujarat and young leaders were groomed by their seniors, including former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. All elected lawmakers and BJP chief Amit Shah are present at the parliamentary party meet, which began at around 10 am on Wednesday. One of the chief agendas to be picked up in this meeting is the chief ministerial faces of Gujarat and Himachal. The BJP managed to pull a landslide victory in Himachal Pradesh, but its chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal lost his Sujanpur constituency to Congress. State BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti also lost his seat. Their defeat has put a question mark on the face of the next chief minister. Source told Zee News that Union minister JP Nadda and newly-elected BJP MLA Jairam Thakur are the frontrunners of Chief Minister's post. Meanwhile in Gujarat, where the BJP managed to retain power for a record sixth time, is mulling a course correction after losing several seats to Congress. The party leadership is reportedly considering a new face to replace the incumbent Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, despite his victory from the Rajkot West seat. Among the names floating around are Textiles and Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Smriti Irani and Union Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Mansukh L Mandaviya. Irani, however, has denied being a contender for the CM's post.

Strengthen BJP at grass root level for 2019 victory: PM at parliamentary party meeting

The state of Himachal Pradesh is all set to welcome the new BJP government.

The results announced on Monday morning showed favourable results for BJP. The BJP is leading in over 40 seats, while Congress fluctuating in twenty plus seats.

Haryana Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who contested from Arki assembly seat is leading.&nbsp;

The BJP chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal has also regained the lead&nbsp;after trailing by&nbsp;over 1700 votes.&nbsp;

The Election Commission has said that the vote share of BJP in the elections is 48.6 per cent, which is 10 per cent more than the assembly elections held in 2012.

The vote share of Congress came out as 41.8 per cent votes, reducing to 1 per cent from the 2012 elections.&nbsp;

There was a close battle between the BJP and the Congress in the assembly election held in the state in 2012. The Congress won 36 seats while the BJP bagged 26 seats.&nbsp;

Since the past 24 years, Himachal Pradesh has had alternative governments between the BJP and the Congress.&nbsp;

The state underwent single phase polling&nbsp;on November 9. The total number of seats in the state is 68. For winning the elections a party needs to win 35 seats or more.&nbsp;

The elections were fought by 337 candidates which include 19 women.

The voter turnout in the election this year was recorded to be 74.61 per cent, which is the highest ever turn out for assembly election in Himachal.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The results announced on Monday morning showed favourable results for BJP. The BJP is leading in over 40 seats, while Congress fluctuating in twenty plus seats

The state of Himachal Pradesh is all set to welcome the new BJP government. The results announced on Monday morning showed favourable results for BJP. The BJP is leading in over 40 seats, while Congress fluctuating in twenty plus seats. Haryana Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who contested from Arki assembly seat is leading. The BJP chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal has also regained the lead after trailing by over 1700 votes. The Election Commission has said that the vote share of BJP in the elections is 48.6 per cent, which is 10 per cent more than the assembly elections held in 2012. The vote share of Congress came out as 41.8 per cent votes, reducing to 1 per cent from the 2012 elections. There was a close battle between the BJP and the Congress in the assembly election held in the state in 2012. The Congress won 36 seats while the BJP bagged 26 seats. Since the past 24 years, Himachal Pradesh has had alternative governments between the BJP and the Congress. The state underwent single phase polling on November 9. The total number of seats in the state is 68. For winning the elections a party needs to win 35 seats or more. The elections were fought by 337 candidates which include 19 women. The voter turnout in the election this year was recorded to be 74.61 per cent, which is the highest ever turn out for assembly election in Himachal.

BJP set to form government in Himachal

The BJP has won the Gujarat election but failed to cross the 100 mark.&nbsp;

It won 99 of the state&#39;s 182 seats, while the Congres won 77.&nbsp;

In Himachal, the BJP won 44 of the state&#39;s 68 seats, while the Congress won 20.&nbsp;

Counting is still underway in Himachal in two seats -- with the Congress leading in one of them.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/election-results-bjp-wins-gujaratand-himachal-27098" target="_blank">Election results prove country ready for reform, says Modi</a>

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-slowly-losing-power-ruling-only-four-states-following-election-27109" target="_blank">After Gujarat, Himachal losses, Congress left in power in only four states</a>

An independent candidate is leading in the other.&nbsp;

In the last elections, the BJP had won 115 seats in Gujarat. Which means it has won 16 fewer seats than last time.&nbsp;

Anti-incumbency of course might have been to blame; the BJP has been in power for 22 years in the state.&nbsp;

But the BJP has probably taken a bigger hit because of the various protest movements against it led by Hardik Patel (the Patidars), Jignesh Mevani (the Dalits), and Alpesh Thakor (the OBCs).&nbsp;

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav was quick to pick on the drop in the BJP&#39;s tally, saying it pointed to the hollowness of the Gujarat model of development.&nbsp;

Commentators have also pointed out that the Gujarat model of development (one which sees high growth) has not been accompanied by a growth in jobs.&nbsp;

That they say is what explains the Patidar agitation for reservations in government jobs and educational institutions.&nbsp;

In Himachal, the BJP won 18 more seats than last time.&nbsp;

But in Himachal, anti-incumbency would have worked for the BJP and not against it.&nbsp;

In Gujarat, the BJP won 16 fewer seats than last time

The BJP has won the Gujarat election but failed to cross the 100 mark. It won 99 of the state's 182 seats, while the Congres won 77. In Himachal, the BJP won 44 of the state's 68 seats, while the Congress won 20. Counting is still underway in Himachal in two seats -- with the Congress leading in one of them. Also read: Election results prove country ready for reform, says Modi Also read: After Gujarat, Himachal losses, Congress left in power in only four states An independent candidate is leading in the other. In the last elections, the BJP had won 115 seats in Gujarat. Which means it has won 16 fewer seats than last time. Anti-incumbency of course might have been to blame; the BJP has been in power for 22 years in the state. But the BJP has probably taken a bigger hit because of the various protest movements against it led by Hardik Patel (the Patidars), Jignesh Mevani (the Dalits), and Alpesh Thakor (the OBCs). Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav was quick to pick on the drop in the BJP's tally, saying it pointed to the hollowness of the Gujarat model of development. Commentators have also pointed out that the Gujarat model of development (one which sees high growth) has not been accompanied by a growth in jobs. That they say is what explains the Patidar agitation for reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. In Himachal, the BJP won 18 more seats than last time. But in Himachal, anti-incumbency would have worked for the BJP and not against it.

BJP wins Gujarat but does not cross 100 mark, takes Himachal easily

At an age when most people are enjoying retirement, India&#39;s oldest chief minister Virbhadra Singh is on the campaign trail, one of a number of ageing men still clinging to power in the youthful country.

At 83 he is hoping to snare a seventh term at the helm of Himachal Pradesh when the mountainous north Indian state that he has ruled for years goes to the polls on Thursday.

Singh, a stalwart of the Congress Party that has held national power for much of independent India&#39;s history, is far from alone.

Around two-thirds of India&#39;s population is aged under 35, making it one of the youngest countries on earth.

But many of its top regional leaders are elderly products of a quasi-dynastic system of rule that took root in the twentieth century and now appears at odds with its youthful population.

Earlier this year the neighbouring state of Punjab, home to 28 million Indians, voted out its 89-year-old five-time chief minister Prakash Singh Badal.

His successor, Amarinder Singh, is the 75-year-old scion of a family that once ruled the princely state of Patiala, now part of Punjab.

Virbhadra Singh is himself descended from the royal family that ruled a part of Himachal Pradesh until Indian independence, and he admits his heritage has helped his political career.

&quot;The people respect me. They respect my family and lineage,&quot; he told AFP during a brief break from campaigning in the state, where campaign hoardings refer to him as Raja Sahib, a royal title.

Nistula Hebbar, political editor of The Hindu daily, said older candidates had a natural advantage because personal relationships were still hugely important in getting things done on the ground.

&quot;As a society, we are a gerontocracy that still worships the grey and considers its advice sagely. And this clearly reflects in our politics too,&quot; Hebbar told AFP.

&quot;Our state&#39;s poor record in delivery (of services) also ensures that the personal networks and relationships nurtured by politicians over a long time are still trusted more by the people over youth and the system.&quot;

Political patricide

Most of India&#39;s leaders do not have royal titles, but a large number are the products of political dynasties that have proved remarkably resilient.

At 94, Muthuvel Karunanidhi, five-time former chief minister of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, remains a key political player as leader of the opposition DMK party.

His 64-year-old son, M.K. Stalin, is positioning himself as the political heir, and appears to have met little popular resistance.

Meanwhile campaigning for elections in India&#39;s most populous state Uttar Pradesh was dominated by a bitter intergenerational power struggle earlier this year.

Akhilesh Yadav, 44, carried out a hostile takeover of the regional Samajwadi Party formed by his 77-year-old father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, a manoeuvre that some termed political patricide.

Rahul Gandhi, himself a member of India&#39;s most famous ruling dynasty, is reported to have tried to push for younger regional leaders after his Congress Party suffered a heavy defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2014 national election.

But he was eventually forced to back down in the face of stiff internal resistance.

His 70-year-old mother Sonia remains party president despite persistent rumours of her imminent retirement.

&quot;Sadly, we don&#39;t believe in graceful retirement or riding into the sunset after a well-played inning,&quot; said veteran Indian journalist Kanchan Gupta.

&quot;Also linked to this is the fact that our politics is about patronising and favour dispensation. It is all about why I am voting for someone and what I can get out of it.&quot;

The views of voters at a rally for Singh in Paonta Sahib, an industrial town in Himachal Pradesh, appear to bear that out.

We back anyone he says as he is someone who stays reachable and gets our issues resolved even when other local officials don&#39;t listen,&quot; one told AFP.

At the end of a packed day, the octogenarian appeared tired, but he insisted he could still cope with the gruelling demands of the campaign trail.

Besides, at 73 his main challenger, Prem Kumar Dhumal of the nationally ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, is no spring chicken either.

&quot;I still campaign with all my seriousness and participate till the very last programme,&quot; Singh told AFP.

At an age when most people are enjoying retirement, India's oldest chief minister Virbhadra Singh is on the campaign trail, one of a number of ageing men still clinging to power in the youthful country. At 83 he is hoping to snare a seventh term at the helm of Himachal Pradesh when the mountainous north Indian state that he has ruled for years goes to the polls on Thursday. Singh, a stalwart of the Congress Party that has held national power for much of independent India's history, is far from alone. Around two-thirds of India's population is aged under 35, making it one of the youngest countries on earth. But many of its top regional leaders are elderly products of a quasi-dynastic system of rule that took root in the twentieth century and now appears at odds with its youthful population. Earlier this year the neighbouring state of Punjab, home to 28 million Indians, voted out its 89-year-old five-time chief minister Prakash Singh Badal. His successor, Amarinder Singh, is the 75-year-old scion of a family that once ruled the princely state of Patiala, now part of Punjab. Virbhadra Singh is himself descended from the royal family that ruled a part of Himachal Pradesh until Indian independence, and he admits his heritage has helped his political career. "The people respect me. They respect my family and lineage," he told AFP during a brief break from campaigning in the state, where campaign hoardings refer to him as Raja Sahib, a royal title. Nistula Hebbar, political editor of The Hindu daily, said older candidates had a natural advantage because personal relationships were still hugely important in getting things done on the ground. "As a society, we are a gerontocracy that still worships the grey and considers its advice sagely. And this clearly reflects in our politics too," Hebbar told AFP. "Our state's poor record in delivery (of services) also ensures that the personal networks and relationships nurtured by politicians over a long time are still trusted more by the people over youth and the system." Political patricide Most of India's leaders do not have royal titles, but a large number are the products of political dynasties that have proved remarkably resilient. At 94, Muthuvel Karunanidhi, five-time former chief minister of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, remains a key political player as leader of the opposition DMK party. His 64-year-old son, M.K. Stalin, is positioning himself as the political heir, and appears to have met little popular resistance. Meanwhile campaigning for elections in India's most populous state Uttar Pradesh was dominated by a bitter intergenerational power struggle earlier this year. Akhilesh Yadav, 44, carried out a hostile takeover of the regional Samajwadi Party formed by his 77-year-old father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, a manoeuvre that some termed political patricide. Rahul Gandhi, himself a member of India's most famous ruling dynasty, is reported to have tried to push for younger regional leaders after his Congress Party suffered a heavy defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2014 national election. But he was eventually forced to back down in the face of stiff internal resistance. His 70-year-old mother Sonia remains party president despite persistent rumours of her imminent retirement. "Sadly, we don't believe in graceful retirement or riding into the sunset after a well-played inning," said veteran Indian journalist Kanchan Gupta. "Also linked to this is the fact that our politics is about patronising and favour dispensation. It is all about why I am voting for someone and what I can get out of it." The views of voters at a rally for Singh in Paonta Sahib, an industrial town in Himachal Pradesh, appear to bear that out. We back anyone he says as he is someone who stays reachable and gets our issues resolved even when other local officials don't listen," one told AFP. At the end of a packed day, the octogenarian appeared tired, but he insisted he could still cope with the gruelling demands of the campaign trail. Besides, at 73 his main challenger, Prem Kumar Dhumal of the nationally ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, is no spring chicken either. "I still campaign with all my seriousness and participate till the very last programme," Singh told AFP.

Himachal election: India's oldest CM, Virbhadra Singh, looks for 7th term

The northern hill state of Himachal Pradesh goes to polls today. Here&#39;s a ready reckoner.

Polling

Polling for all the 68 constituencies began at 8:00 am and go on till 5:00 pm.

Total candidates

There are 338 candidates in the fray.<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/himachal-pradesh-polls-bjp-announces-prem-kumar-dhumal-as-partys-chief-ministerial-candidate-23225"> Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal is the chief ministerial candidate of the BJP</a>. He faces-off with chief minister Virbhadra Singh of the Congress.&nbsp;

The males contesting the elections outnumber the females by more than 15 times (319 vs 19).

Party-wise candidates

The Indian National Congress (INC): 68&nbsp; 
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): 68 
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP): 42 
Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M): 14 
Communist Party of India (CPI): 3 
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP): 2 
Samajwadi Party (SP): 2 
Independents: 112 
Registered but unrecognised: 27

Voters

A total of 5025941 voters will exercise their franchise. They include 2568761 males, 2457166 females and 14 third gender voters. The males and females are evenly balanced.

Constituencies 
 
Constituency with maximum candidates: Dharamshala (12) 
Constituency with minimum candidates: Jhanduta (2) 
Electorate-wise largest constituency: Sullah&nbsp; 
Electorate-wise smallest constituency: Lahaul and Spiti 
Area-wise largest constituency: Lahaul and Spiti 
Constituency with more than one woman candidate: Mandi (2)

Results&nbsp;

Results will be declared on December 18.

The BJP is hopeful of defeating the incumbent Congress government and getting a clear majority in the state.

The northern hill state of Himachal Pradesh goes to polls today. Here's a ready reckoner

The northern hill state of Himachal Pradesh goes to polls today. Here's a ready reckoner. Polling Polling for all the 68 constituencies began at 8:00 am and go on till 5:00 pm. Total candidates There are 338 candidates in the fray. Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal is the chief ministerial candidate of the BJP. He faces-off with chief minister Virbhadra Singh of the Congress. The males contesting the elections outnumber the females by more than 15 times (319 vs 19). Party-wise candidates The Indian National Congress (INC): 68 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): 68 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP): 42 Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M): 14 Communist Party of India (CPI): 3 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP): 2 Samajwadi Party (SP): 2 Independents: 112 Registered but unrecognised: 27 Voters A total of 5025941 voters will exercise their franchise. They include 2568761 males, 2457166 females and 14 third gender voters. The males and females are evenly balanced. Constituencies Constituency with maximum candidates: Dharamshala (12) Constituency with minimum candidates: Jhanduta (2) Electorate-wise largest constituency: Sullah Electorate-wise smallest constituency: Lahaul and Spiti Area-wise largest constituency: Lahaul and Spiti Constituency with more than one woman candidate: Mandi (2) Results Results will be declared on December 18. The BJP is hopeful of defeating the incumbent Congress government and getting a clear majority in the state.

Himachal votes: All you need to know about the election

Speaking exclusively to WION&rsquo;s Kartikeya Sharma, the former MoS Home Affairs also talks about Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi, and the state of Congress.

He adds that the policies of the ruling BJP government at the Centre have hurt the common man.&nbsp;

&nbsp; 
Here is the full transcript of the interview: 
&nbsp; 
Q: Is Congress&rsquo; election campaign in Gujarat on the line of UP ke ladke, the election campaign theme of SP-Cong in Uttar Pradesh? Rahul Gandhi plus three boys from the state against Narendra Modi? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: Not at all. I is not about individuals.&nbsp;It is not Rahul Gandhi vs anyone. It is not about individuals. It is about people of Gujarat and problems accruing from the policies of BJP-led state and central governments. People have suffered and Rahul Gandhi is only voicing the discomfort faced by people of Gujarat. It is people of Gujarat versus policies of the present government. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Demonetisation did not work in UP. What makes you think that GST as a political campaign will work in Gujarat? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: BJP did a smart thing during UP elections. The message which went out during UP elections was that haves were being attacked and money would eventually be ploughed back to have nots. BJP had earlier promised Rs 15 lakh in people&rsquo;s account and electorate thought that perhaps this scheme is probably a culmination of that promise. This messaging worked then, but now people understand that demonetisation led to nothing. And GST has hurt people. 
&nbsp; 
Q: What is the main challenge for the Congress in Jharkhand? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: BJP government in Jharkhand has been trying to tweak land laws to parcel out land from the tribal community. We have been trying to stall it. They have tried changing land acquisition rules too. There are many issues in the state like health and hunger. Many children died because their mothers were malnourished. Poor has suffered in the state. These are the issues we want to focus on. And then the main focus remains on organization. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Congress for quite some time has been in alliance with regional parties in the state. So how do you expect to challenge BJP? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: Congress has not done well in assembly and Lok Sabha elections last time around. We are trying to strengthen the Congress from booth level onwards. We are trying to take all communities on board. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Every assembly election, Congress jumps into the lap of a regional party. How will you change the outlook? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: In Jharkhand, we contested independently and votes against BJP got divided which helped them. We are making sure that Congress is present in all 81 seats. Though elections are two years away but even if we go for alliance this time around we would like to be equal partners this time around. We aren&rsquo;t ruling out alliance but it needs to be on equal footing. 
&nbsp; 
Q: What explains the rapid expansion of BJP in many states? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: This issue has been addressed many times. In the last two to three years, we lost touch with real issues and what people wanted from us. We did good work but did not communicate well enough. We weren&rsquo;t good at it then. The UPA did a good job in social sector. What we see today is strong communication by BJP but the work on the ground remains nil. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Did the issue of saffron terror controversy impact Congress very negatively? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: Those speeches have never ever been Congress party&rsquo;s view. Terror has no caste, religion or creed; those were individual remarks which I believe were communicated out of context. It has never been the Congress&#39; stand but a perception was created and it did impact the Congress party. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Why is elevation of Rahul Gandhi getting delayed? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: It is not getting delayed. There is an electoral process which is coming to close. PCC delegates have been elected and (his) elevation will happen soon. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Where lies the salvation of the Congress party? In building organization or electoral alliances to stop BJP? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: We need to build our cadre and make people believe in our ideology. 
&nbsp; 
Q: The general message is that Congress has turned Left of Centre? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: We are a centrist party. I will quote late Mrs Indira Gandhi, &ldquo;We are in the centre and we will stand tall.&rdquo;

In an exclusive interview with WION, Singh also spoke about Rahul Gandhi and the state of the Congress party

Speaking exclusively to WION’s Kartikeya Sharma, the former MoS Home Affairs also talks about Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi, and the state of Congress. He adds that the policies of the ruling BJP government at the Centre have hurt the common man. Here is the full transcript of the interview: Q: Is Congress’ election campaign in Gujarat on the line of UP ke ladke, the election campaign theme of SP-Cong in Uttar Pradesh? Rahul Gandhi plus three boys from the state against Narendra Modi? RPN Singh: Not at all. I is not about individuals. It is not Rahul Gandhi vs anyone. It is not about individuals. It is about people of Gujarat and problems accruing from the policies of BJP-led state and central governments. People have suffered and Rahul Gandhi is only voicing the discomfort faced by people of Gujarat. It is people of Gujarat versus policies of the present government. Q: Demonetisation did not work in UP. What makes you think that GST as a political campaign will work in Gujarat? RPN Singh: BJP did a smart thing during UP elections. The message which went out during UP elections was that haves were being attacked and money would eventually be ploughed back to have nots. BJP had earlier promised Rs 15 lakh in people’s account and electorate thought that perhaps this scheme is probably a culmination of that promise. This messaging worked then, but now people understand that demonetisation led to nothing. And GST has hurt people. Q: What is the main challenge for the Congress in Jharkhand? RPN Singh: BJP government in Jharkhand has been trying to tweak land laws to parcel out land from the tribal community. We have been trying to stall it. They have tried changing land acquisition rules too. There are many issues in the state like health and hunger. Many children died because their mothers were malnourished. Poor has suffered in the state. These are the issues we want to focus on. And then the main focus remains on organization. Q: Congress for quite some time has been in alliance with regional parties in the state. So how do you expect to challenge BJP? RPN Singh: Congress has not done well in assembly and Lok Sabha elections last time around. We are trying to strengthen the Congress from booth level onwards. We are trying to take all communities on board. Q: Every assembly election, Congress jumps into the lap of a regional party. How will you change the outlook? RPN Singh: In Jharkhand, we contested independently and votes against BJP got divided which helped them. We are making sure that Congress is present in all 81 seats. Though elections are two years away but even if we go for alliance this time around we would like to be equal partners this time around. We aren’t ruling out alliance but it needs to be on equal footing. Q: What explains the rapid expansion of BJP in many states? RPN Singh: This issue has been addressed many times. In the last two to three years, we lost touch with real issues and what people wanted from us. We did good work but did not communicate well enough. We weren’t good at it then. The UPA did a good job in social sector. What we see today is strong communication by BJP but the work on the ground remains nil. Q: Did the issue of saffron terror controversy impact Congress very negatively? RPN Singh: Those speeches have never ever been Congress party’s view. Terror has no caste, religion or creed; those were individual remarks which I believe were communicated out of context. It has never been the Congress' stand but a perception was created and it did impact the Congress party. Q: Why is elevation of Rahul Gandhi getting delayed? RPN Singh: It is not getting delayed. There is an electoral process which is coming to close. PCC delegates have been elected and (his) elevation will happen soon. Q: Where lies the salvation of the Congress party? In building organization or electoral alliances to stop BJP? RPN Singh: We need to build our cadre and make people believe in our ideology. Q: The general message is that Congress has turned Left of Centre? RPN Singh: We are a centrist party. I will quote late Mrs Indira Gandhi, “We are in the centre and we will stand tall.”

Gujarat election is about people vs govt policies: Former Union Minister RPN Singh tells WION