M A I N   N E W S

Cong groups hold poll separately
From Tribune Reporters

KANGRA, Sept 20 — Differences in the Congress came to the fore here today when the elections for the Kangra Block Congress Committee and for the post of the Pradesh Congress Committee member were held at different places by two factions of the party.

Hundreds of supporters of Mr G.S. Bali, MLA, took out a procession raising pro-Sonia Gandhi slogans and held elections for the posts of PCC member and BCC president in presence of party delegates and mediapersons at Tehsil Chowk here. They elected Mr Surender Kaku, former BCC president, as PCC member and former MLA Daulat Ram as BCC chief.

They complained that the assistant returning officer, Mr Joginder Singh, appointed by the high command did not attend the elections.

The other faction headed by Chand Saini, former PCC member and supporter of Mr Sat Mahajan, held the elections at Lunj village of this block, as claimed by him in the presence of Mr Joginder Singh. Mr Saini claimed that Capt Krishan Chand was elected BCC president and he himself as PCC member. He said a six-member team was also elected for the DCC.

HAMIRPUR: The Congress was divided into two factions in the Nadaun Assembly constituency of this district after Mr Mangat Ram, one of the state observers for the party elections, declared Mr Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu as party delegate for the state body from the Nadaun area. His election was stated to be unanimous. Mr Prithi Chand was declared elected as block president.

However, after the declaration of the result about 80 party activists held a meeting and elected Mr Brij Mohan Soni as block president and decided to hold the election of the state delegate on September 23.

Meanwhile, Mr Kuldip Singh Pathania, former MLA, was elected party delegate for the state body from the Bamsan assembly constituency. Mr Rajesh Sharma was elected constituency president.