New Delhi: Taking a jibe Rahul Gandhi, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Saturday said that the Congress president has to accept that the people of the state defeated him.


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"I don't want to comment on Rahul Gandhi's statement, but he has to accept that the public of Himachal Pradesh have rejected him and has supported the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to make the government," Thakur told ANI.


In his assessment of the party's defeat, Rahul on Friday is believed to have said that Congress was defeated 'only by Congress.'


He had held a meeting with newly elected MLAs and defeated candidates in Himachal. Rahul had also held separate meetings with candidates of Mandi and Shimla Parliamentary constituencies and Kangra and Hamirpur Lok Sabha seats, PTI had quoted sources as saying.


"Indiscipline and anti-party activities by any leader, howsoever tall he may be will not be tolerated," Rahul had told party leaders and had added that dedicated, honest and loyal workers would be given due respect.


He had also addressed the state party office bearers, presidents of district and block Congress committees and heads of frontal organisations, party officials had said. 


Meanwhile, with the BJP replacing Congress in the state, the corruption cases against former CM Virbhadra Singh were expected to see a speedy trial. Thakur, however, maintained that the government would not work with the motive of revenge.


"The cases are pending in the court and the government doesn't need to do anything from its end. I have previously also said that our government will not work with the motive of revenge," Thakur said.


The CM also said that "decisions taken with the intention of political gains in the last six months" would be reconsidered and weighed on the basis of merit.


Jairam Thakur was on Wednesday sworn in as the 14th CM of Himachal Pradesh along with eleven other ministers at a ceremony at the historic Ridge ground.


Governor Acharya Devvrat had administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 52-year-old Thakur, a five-time MLA from Seraj and other ministers which included six new faces.


The new ministers are - Mohinder Singh, Krishan Kapoor, Suresh Bharadwaj, Anil Sharma, Sarveen Chowdhary, Ram Lal Markanda, Vipin Parmar, Virender Kanwar, Gobind Thakur, Rajiv Saizal and Vikram Singh.


The BJP won 44 out of 68 seats in the recent state Assembly elections, ousting the Congress. 


(With Agency inputs)