Shimla, December 25
The BJP has finally decided not to have any truck with its coalition partner, the Himachal Vikas Congress, in the ensuing Assembly elections in the state.

Stating this here today, Mr Ganesh Dut, party spokesman, said the issue was discussed at a meeting of the party’s national executive and it was decided that the party would go it alone in the elections. Even during the last elections, there was no pre-poll alliance with any party. However, the BJP had to join hands with the HVC to keep the Congress out of power in the wake of a hung Assembly.

He alleged that senior Congress leaders like Mrs Vidya Stokes and Mr Virbhadra Singh were trying to create a fear psychosis in the state by repeatedly saying that the BJP would resort to divisive tactics to create communal tension for electoral gains “as it did in Gujarat.” He said the BJP believed in maintaining social harmony and it would contest the elections on issues like national security and development. He said the state never witnessed communal tension, except after the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

He took exception to the charges of corruption levelled by Mr Virbhadra Singh against the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, and asked the Congress leader to either substantiate his charges with evidence or tender a public apology. He warned that such frivolous allegations could lead to a slanging match, which would have no end.

Mr Dut said the “vishwas yatra” was getting a good response from the people and the party was not only apprising the people of its achievements on the development front but also receiving a feedback regarding their expectations, which would be taken care of in the election manifesto. He said the second leg of the yatra would commence from the Bhima Kali temple on January 2 and pass through Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur districts.

Mr Dut said winnability and clean image of a person would be the sole criterion for the distribution of the party ticket.