The Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Ram Swaroop Sharma on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for Mandi Lok Sabha constituency at an elaborate ceremony attended by top leaders of the party, who addressed around three to four thousand people, at Seri Manch here.

BJP leaders including chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, veteran leader Shanta Kumar, former chief minister PK Dhumal and BJP state president Satpal Satti, in what is being seen as a show of strength, spoke about Prime Minster Narendra Modi’s courage to conduct surgical strikes on land, air and in space.

“If Congress party had been in power at the time of recent terrorist attacks at Uri and Pulwama, they would only have written a letter to Pakistan condemning the attack but PM Modi, despite a Nuclear threat, attacked terrorists and destroyed their hide outs,” said CM Thakur.

He said, “We need a strong leadership at the Centre to strengthen our army and secure our borders. If Ram Swaroop Sharma will win, Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister and only then can you sleep in peace knowing that a strong ‘chowkidar’ is on duty.”

‘BJP candidates have honest image’

Jai Ram Thakur said BJP high command has given tickets to leaders with honest image for all the four Lok Sabha seats of the state and that is why the BJP is getting huge support from the public.

Satpal Satti targeted former Union minister Pandit Sukh Ram and called him a corrupt and opportunist politician. He used threatening language and said if anyone abused Modi, he will break their legs and will go up to any extent in revenge.

Prem Kumar Dhumal said the Opposition raised a finger over surgical and air strikes and this demoralises the spirit of our soldiers.

First Published: Apr 25, 2019 14:12 IST