With the BJP pulling out all stops to retain power in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday lauded the Uniform Civil Code as a “good concept” and said his government was open to implementing it. He also played down the challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state, dubbing the Arvind Kejriwal-led party as an “outsider whose style of politics will not work in Himachal Pradesh”.
The hill state, which has a history of not reelecting a government in the last five decades, is headed for Assembly polls this year. Thakur said, “The AAP is an outsider for Himachal Pradesh; it has no leadership in the state. Whether it is their rallies or road shows, they only give prominence to Kejriwal and (Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant) Mann and none of them are from the state.”
Asserting that the AAP's style of politics will not work in Himachal Pradesh, he said that it is a peaceful state and the people “will not accept any third alternative”. In the last five decades, it is either the BJP or the Congress that has been in power in Himachal Pradesh. Thakur said this time the BJP will break this trend and repeat its government.
On a question on neighbouring BJP-ruled Uttarakhand pushing for implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), he said Himachal Pradesh was also examining it. “The Uniform Civil Code is a good step, we are examining it... our officers are examining it. We are open to implement it in the state, it cannot be ruled out,” Thakur said.
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