On Modi's talk about Gujarat model of development, the Minister said 2,000 textile units have been closed in Gujarat and thousands of workers have been rendered jobless. Himachal Pradesh has made tremendous progress and the development model of the state was better than Gujarat, he claimed.
When asked about probe into Chennai blasts, Shinde said that the Centre is ready to assist the state but the request has to come from the Tamil Nadu government. Referring to Pakistan Army chief Raheel Sharif's remark describing Kashmir as “jugular vein” of his country, Shinde said, “Our stand on Kashmir is clear that it is an integral part of India,” adding that the statement is “uncalled for”.
Claiming that people of Himachal have always stood by Congress, Shinde hoped that Congress would win all four seats in the state this time.