‘Delay in seat shift, rallying for others behind defeat’

A day after the

Himachal

assembly results where BJP won 44 out of 68 seats, the mood was somber at Samirpur residence of the party’s chief ministerial face Prem Kumar Dhumal, who lost election from Sujanpur seat. While some of his supporters sobbed, the two-time chief minister put up a brave face and comforted them. In an exclusive interview, his first since the news of defeat, Dhumal tells

TOI

’s Aditya Kant that he is satisfied that he measured up to the expectations of central leadership by ensuring victory for his party. The 73-year-old BJP leader also called party chief Amit Shah ‘Chanakya’.

What direction will your political career take now?

I will continue to work for my party and abide by the instructions of central leadership. I may have lost my seat but somewhere I have a sense of fulfillment as the hard work I had put in, under the able leadership of Modiji and

Amit Shahji

, has borne fruits for the party. I don’t blame anyone for my defeat and am grateful to everyone who has come out in support of BJP. The party would introspect. I am a soldier of the party and will continue to be one.

How do you look at the outcome of these assembly elections?

Overall, the results have been very satisfying for the party. BJP is coming to power with two-third majority. The performance has been very good and this was made possible by the guidance of Prime Minister

Narendra Modiji

and BJP president Amit Shahji, ‘Chanakya’ of politics who guided the party to victory.

Besides, each and every member of party, the candidates and the leadership have contributed and deserve due credit.

You spearheaded the campaign as the CM candidate. The party won but you and other heavy weights lost. What went wrong?

Yes

, I lost in a constituency which was new to me. Being CM candidate, I focused on the entire state, ensuring that the party wins with a convincing majority. That the central leadership reposed faith in me and entrusted me with this assignment of ensuring the party’s victory was a matter of pride as well as a bigger responsibility. Indeed, it’s a matter of big satisfaction for me that I could deliver what was expected from me in the state, with the help of other leaders of the party. Of course, everyone else who did his bit, be it the small party worker or central leaders who campaigned, deserves credit too as it was team work that brought us victory. I had nursed Hamirpur constituency for the past few years and the decision to shift the sit came a bit late. Having been given a bigger responsibility, I could not devote sufficient time for campaigning in the new constituency.

Do you still consider yourself in the fray as your supporters claiming that some of BJP’s winners are willing to vacate their seat for you?

After the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984, when no one was ready to contest, I was asked to contest parliamentary elections, to which I readily agreed. Though I lost those elections, I got maximum number of votes in the region from amongst the losing candidates. I have been a committed party worker for three decades and continue to be one. I would be happy to function in whichever capacity I am asked to by the party high command. Our target now is to ensure victory in the

Lok Sabha

elections scheduled in 2019.

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