Addressing a press conference at Nurpur, Vinay Kumar said a new HPCC executive would be constituted shortly and the party organisation would be revamped at the booth, mandal, district and state levels.

He said his focus as state party chief would be to build a vibrant organisation by ensuring that every party worker played an active role rather than limiting the organisation to paper.

Targeting the Centre, Vinay Kumar alleged that Himachal was being subjected to stepmotherly treatment. He claimed that the Central Government had withheld the state’s rightful financial assistance and had also not released the special disaster relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.

He said the Congress would take the issue to the people and expose what he termed the Centre’s anti-state and anti-people approach. The party, he added, had always fought for the rights of farmers, youth, employees and other sections of society, raising their concerns both on the streets and inside the Assembly.

Expressing confidence over the party’s prospects, Vinay Kumar said the Congress would return to power in the next Assembly elections as the people were aware of what he described as the BJP’s divisive and anti-people policies.

Later, the HPCC chief met local party workers. Former Nurpur MLA Ajay Mahajan and Nurpur Municipal Council chairperson Niti Mahajan were also present. Congress workers accorded him a warm welcome on his arrival in Nurpur.