"PM Modi Disappointed But Nitin Gadkari Helped": Himachal Congress Chief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not help during Himachal Pradesh's worst monsoon disaster but Union minister Nitin Gadkari resolved most of the issues related to the national highways in the state, claimed state Congress chief Pratibha Singh today.

"Himachal faced the worst ever natural disaster during the monsoons but no special financial assistance was given by the Centre. The state government gave Rs 4500-crore package on its own to provide succour to the affected people. This issue would be raised during the elections," she claimed.

"I met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested him for financial help for disaster relief. He said your chief minister had also met me and will do whatever is possible. I was hoping that announcement would come but was disappointed," Ms Singh, the sitting MP from Mandi Lok Sabha seat, told Press Trust of India.

However, she said Union Minister for Transport and Highways Gadkari was very helpful.

Ms Singh, who had earlier maintained that the workers are demoralised, today said, "The Congress workers are active and fully prepared for the elections and the party will win all the Lok Sabha seats and the assembly byelections in Himachal."

"We had won the assembly elections and will win the Lok Sabha polls and the assembly byelections on the strength of our workers who would go from door to door and tell about the achievements of the government," Pratibha Singth, wife of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh and mother of Himachal Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, said.

Earlier, Pratibha Singh had refused to contest the Lok Sabha elections claiming that the ground situation is "not favourable" and the Congress workers are disheartened.

However, later she mellowed down when the BJP announced Kangana Ranaut as its candidate from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat and said she would follow the directions of the Congress central leadership.

She also maintained that the people want someone from the Virbhadra's family to contest this election.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)