Tea seller working at Congress office, seeks ticket to contest elections in Himachal

With an aim to serve the people of 'Queen of Hills', a tea seller, who has been working at Congress headquarters in Shimla for the last 40 years, has sought for the Congress ticket from Shimla Urban Assembly Constituency for the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections.

Devendra Kumar alias DK Chaiwala in Rajiv Bhawan Tea Stall at Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee Office in Shimla may be one of the candidates for Congress among the big leaders.

This year the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee has sought applications from those who want to contest the polls.

56-year-old Congressman, Devendra Kumar Rattan who is popularly known as DK in the Shimla Congress office has been serving tea to Congressmen and visitors here for almost 40 years now.

These days he has drawn attention after applying for a ticket from the Shimla Urban Assembly constituency. Kumar, who was associated with the Youth Congress in the year 1982, has applied for a ticket from Shimla city among the heavyweight leaders.

Speaking to ANI, DK said that Congress made the application free of cost and gave an opportunity to every worker who is serving the party for a long time to come forward for the election. He said that he has been continuously associated with Congress for the last 40 years and has been serving tea from a common worker to a big leader for over nine years.

"I have been a Congress worker since 1982, due to some reasons I had to shut my shop in some other area nearly nine year ago the Congress party has allotted me this place for tea canteen and I am serving tea to everyone here. I have been serving the party for a long time. I joined Youth Congress in 1982 and have been on different posts since then from my Krishnanagar area. I am happy that the party has given an opportunity to every worker for an MLA ticket," he said. The tea vendor further said that he will keep serving tea and will work for the welfare of the people of Shimla.

"I want to serve the people of Shimla, once a party ticket is given and if I win and elected as an MLA, I will not take a single rupee from my salary. I shall keep serving tea and work for the welfare of the people. If another person gets a party ticket I will work hard to make the congress party win," DK added.

The Chief spokesperson of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, Naresh Chauhan said that it shows that the party gives importance to every worker." The Congress party has given an opportunity to apply for candidature, this year a record 1350 candidates have applied and one of the candidates is Devender Kumar, who runs a tea stall in Congress office. His application has also been accepted and processed," said Chauhan. Taking a dig at BJP, the spokesperson said that Congress is a party of common men and common people are given importance but on the contrary, in BJP everyone heard that the Prime Minister was a Chaiwala (tea seller) but till date nobody knows any fact about this, as they only market and sell it."

This shows the farsightedness of the party and also shows that all workers are given importance here. It is not BJP who just only does propaganda. It is an example and Congress is a party of common men and common people are given importance but on the contrary, in BJP we heard that PM was a Chaiwala but till date, nobody knows any fact about this, as they only market and sell it," he said.

There are over 40 leaders including DK from Shimla city assembly constituency, who have applied and have submitted their intention to contest the elections. Among these big leaders, Devendra Kumar Rattan alias DK has also become a topic of discussion between the party leadership and workers.

From all 68 Assembly Segments, 1350 candidates have applied from Congress to claim the party's ticket to contest Assembly elections this year.

The Election Screening Committee is expected to scrutinize and finalize the first list by September 5, 2022. Later the list will be finalized by the party high command.

Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh are likely to be held later this year. (ANI)