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Tuesday,
February 4, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Virbhadra,
Sushant file papers HVC
promises pollution-free state
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Rebels to
queer pitch CANDIDATES IN THE RUN CPI
rejects Solan unit’s plea Cong
favours review of MoUs
‘Mysterious’
disease kills 700 sheep
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Virbhadra, Sushant file papers Shimla, February 3 Mr Virbhadra Singh filed his nomination papers from Rohru in Shimla district, Mr Roop Das Kashyap from Kusumpti in Shimla district and Dr Rajan Sushant, from Jawali in Kangra district. Others prominent leaders who filed their nominations included Mr Ram Lal Thakur (Congress) from Kotkehloor, Mr Rikhi Ram Kaundal (BJP), from Geharwin (Reserved), Mr Anita Verma (Congress) from Hamirpur, Mr G.S. Bali (Congress) from Nagrota Bagwan and Mr Mohinder Sofat, a BJP rebel from Solan. The following is the list: Rampur (SC) — Mr Brij Lal (BJP); Rohru — Mr Virbhadra Singh (Congress and Mr Nehar Singh (Congress); Chopal — Mr Arun Bhandari and (Independent) and Mr Subhash Chand (Independent); Theog — Mr Gian Singh Chandel (BJP) and Mr Mehar Singh Chauhan (BJP); Kusumpati (SC) — Mr Roop Das Kashyap (BJP); Doon — Mr Amar Nath Kaushal (HVC); Kasauli (SC) — Mr Kiran Bala (BSP); Solan — Mr Mohinder Nath Sofat (Independent) and Mr Jitender Kumar (Independent); Shilai — Mr Harsh Vardhan (Congress); Paonta-Doon — Mr Rattan Singh (Congress); Nahan — Mr Sada Nand Chauhan (LJS); Kotkehloor — Mr Ram Lal Thakur (Congress) and Mr Dharmender Thakur (Independent); Geharwin (SC) — Mr Rikhi Ram Kaundal (BJP); Hamirpur — Ms Anita Verma (Congress) and Mr Naresh Kumar (Independent); Bansan — Mr Piar Chand (Independent); Santokhgarh — Dr Surinder Singh (NCP); Gangath (SC) — Mr Desh Raj (BJP); Jawali — Dr Rajan Sushant (BJP); Jaswan — Mr Vivek Pathania (Independent); Pragpur (SC) — Mr Naveen Dhiman (Independent); Baijnath — Mr Puran Chand (Independent); Sulah — Mr Kuldeep Singh (Independent); Nagrota Bagwan — Mr G.S. Bali (Congress); Shahpur — Mr Kamala Kishore (Independent); Dharamsala — Mr Sudesh Kumar (LJP); Kangra — Mr Rattan Lal Jagtamba (BJP); Bhattiyat — Mr Bhupinder Singh Chauhan (Independent); Rajnagar (SC) — Mr Mohal Lal (BJP); Kulu — Mr Govind Singh (BJP/Independent) and Mr Kunj Lal Thakur (BJP/Independent); Karsog (SC) — Mr Mansa Ram (HVC); Balh (SC) — Mr Lal Singh (HLM); Gopalpur — Mr Rangila Ram Rao (Congress) and Mr Moti Ram (Independent); Jogindernagar — Ms Anjna (HVC); and Mandi — Mr Sher Singh (Independent). |
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HVC promises pollution-free state Shimla, February 3 Releasing the election manifesto of the HVC here today, Mr Sukh Ram, party leader, said his party had an environment- friendly plan to make the state economically self-reliant and end unemployment. He said the rural youth would not only be able to earn their livelihood, but would also be effectively involved in the greening of denuded hills. Under the plan, two lakh families would be allotted 25 to 30 bighas each for plantation, for which they would set remuneration for 8 to 10 years and get a share in the returns after the final harvest, which could range from Rs 10 to 13 lakh per family. Employment would be generated by utilising micro-hydel-power potential and promoting tourism in a big way, he stated. Besides upgrading facilities in the existing tourist places, at least 50 new resorts would be developed, he added. The youth, particularly women, would be provided vocational training. At least one polytechnic for women would be set up in each janpad. A fund would be set up to provide easy loans to women to enable them to start their own ventures, he added. The party promised to spend 20 per cent of the gross domestic product on human resource development. Schoolchildren would be provided free education along with books and uniforms and girls would be given free education up to graduation. In the agricultural sector, small dams would be constructed and a network of tubewells established to expand the irrigation facilities and allied fields like apiculture, poultry farming, sheep-rearing, floriculture and seed cultivation will be promoted in big way, the HVC leader said. Need-based realistic minimum wages for workers would be fixed and the party would take steps to protect the interests of unorganised workers. An academy and degree colleges would be set up to promote Sanskrit. Stringent measures would be taken to check industrial pollution, to curb illegal felling of trees and to protect wildlife. The HVC would constitute a cine-production board to attract Bollywood producers for shooting their films in the state and to encourage regional films. Later addressing a press conference, Mr Sukh Ram said charges of corruption and accumulation of assets through questionable means against all leaders, including the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, should be probed to enable people to know the facts. He said the charges levelled against him were inquired into and the same yardstick should be applied to all others. He said despite the allegations he won the election by a record margin. He said this became possible only because people were convinced that he was a victim of a political conspiracy hatched by his opponents. In an oblique reference to the petrol station allotment scam of the BJP, he said he had not secured any cooking gas agency or petrol station for his kin like many other leaders. He disclosed that not only the congress but also the BJP was keen on having an alliance with him. The deal could not be struck as the party was not ready to leave Santokhgarh, the seat from where the state BJP chief Mr Jaikrishan Sharma, would contest, and the Chachiot constituency in Mandi. However, the HVC rank and file favoured an alliance with the Congress. The Congress-HVC combine would have swept the poll. However, Mr Virbhadra Singh, who was still annoyed with him over the fact that he did not allow him to become the Chief Minister in 1998, put his foot down. The presence of the HVC in the fray would hurt the Congress more than the BJP and in case the party failed to get a clear majority, the responsibility would squarely lie on Mr Virbhadra Singh. |
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BJP not to change candidates Shimla, February 3 Addressing a press conference, here today, he said technically, the nominees could be changed upto the deadline for withdrawal of nominations. However, there was only a little possibility of any last-minute changes as the party had given ticket after giving due thought and taking all aspects into considerations. He said the state and the district leadership of the party was trying to contain the rebellion and was taking all required steps. He expressed confidence that the rebels would not be prominent on the scene after the main parties launched their campaigns. He said the BJP had overcome some of its shortcomings for which it had always came under attack from the Congress. For instance, the Congress had always said that the BJP government was incapable of completing five years, but the Dhumal government had lasted the full term, he said. Mr Kohli said the Congress was levelling wild allegations to tarnish the image of Mr
P. K. Dhumal. He said leaders like Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Chief Minister, had been levelling charges for vendetta on political opponents. The BJP would seek votes on positive issues like development, particularly construction of roads and irrigation schemes, welfare of weaker sections and liberal financial assistance granted by the Centre for speeding up development. The Central Government had earned the country a place of pride in the comity of nations and had handled terrorism with determination, he asserted. Mr Kohli said the BJP would formally launch its campaign on February 12 by holding 18 rallies across the state simultaneously. At least two rallies would be held in each district, he added. Mr L.K. Advani would address rallies at Kulu and Kangra, Mr Arun Jaitley and Mr Venkaiah Naidu at Solan and Nalagarh, Ms Uma Bharati at Chamba and
Banikhet, Ms Sushma Swaraj at Nadaun and Hamirpur, Mr M.L. Khurana at Amb and Una, Mr Shanta Kumar at Bilaspur and
Ghumarvin, Mr Rajnath Singh at Sundernagar and Mandi, Mr Pramod Mahajan at Kumarsain and Shimla and Mr
V.K. Malhotra at Paonta and Doon. Mr Pramod Mahajan and Mr Arun Jaitley would address workers of Kasauli, Solan and Shimla constituencies of February 6, the day on which the candidates would file papers. Mr Mahajan would be at Jogindernagar when Mr Gulab Singh would file nomination on February 7. DHARAMSALA: Union Rural Development Minister Shanta Kumar on Monday said there was no possibility of changes in the names of the candidates for the elections. Talking to mediapersons here, he said he had advocated the cause of those who were leaving the party and had suggested that negotiations should be held with them. The minister expressed concern at frequent elections and suggested amendments in the Constitution so that all elections were held only once in five years. He said development would be the issue in the elections. |
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Rebels to queer pitch
Hamirpur, February 3 Among those who attended the meeting were Mr Ram Rattan Sharma, Mr Nand Lal Sharma, Mrs Anita Garg, Mr Garib Dass and Mr Kashmir Singh Banyal. They criticised the decision of the party to give the ticket to Mr Baldev Sharma. At another meeting at Kangoo village last night, a number of BJP leaders and workers decided to resign en masse from the party and to field Mr Raghubir Singh Thakur, as an Independent from Nadaun. They flayed the Chief Minister for fielding Mr Babu Ram Madyal. Those who resigned were Mr Raghubir Singh Thakur, Brig (retd) Lal Chand Jaswal, Mr Mansha Ram Sharma, Mr Sansar Chand, Mr Dulo Ram, Mr Jai Chand Bilauria, Mr Jai Chand Pathania and Mr Kamal Sharma. Meanwhile, Mr Manjeet Singh Dogra, former Congress MLA, who had been expelled from the party, would contest from Nadaunta as an Independent. The party had decided to field Mrs Vidya Zar, wife of Mr Rajendra Zar, from the constituency.  |
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CANDIDATES IN THE RUN Shimla, February 3 The BJP planned to replace about 40 per cent of the legislators as part of its strategy to neutralise the anti-incumbency factor. However, it did not implement the plan, fearing large-scale unrest in the faction-ridden party. Only five legislators, Mr Vidya Sagar, Mr Ram Das Malangar, Mr Chander Sen, Mr Chet Ram Negi and Mrs Nirmala Devi, were denied ticket. Ironically, all of them enjoyed a clean image and remained aloof from factionalism. The party shifted Mr Karan Singh from Banjar to Kulu and Mr Narinder Bragta from Shimla to Jubbal-Kotkhai. In all, as many as 20 new faces, half of them young, have been fielded by the party. They include Mr Vikram Thakur, president of the party’s youth wing, who has been allotted the ticket from Jaswan, and Mr Satpal, ABVP activist, who will contest from Una. Other youth leaders who have been able to find favour with the party are Mr Tejwant from Kinnaur, Mr Sanjay Shastri from Chopal, Mr Balbir Chaudhary from Gagret, Mr Vipin Parmar from Sulah, Mr Yuvraj Bandh from Lahaul-Spiti and Mr Randhir Sharma from Kot Kehloor. The Congress has allotted tickets to all 26 legislators in the dissolved House, but inducted young blood by replacing old candidates. Out of the 19 new faces in the list, as many as 14 are young. They include Mr Sukhwinder, president of the state Youth Congress, from Nadaun, Mr Sudhir Sharma (Baijnath), Mr Rohit Thakur (Jubbal-Kotkhai), Mrs Vidya Zar (Nadaunta), Mr Kashmir Singh (Balh), Mr Surinder Kaku (Kangra), Mr Suresh (Mewa), Mr Chiranji Lal (Kusumpati) and Mr Surinder Thakur (Jogindernagar). The BJP has once again handed out a raw deal to women. it has granted tickets only to five women, the same number as in the 1998 elections. It kept harping on providing 33 per cent reservation to women in Vidhan Sabha and Parliament. Besides renominating Mrs Urmil Thakur (Hamirpur), Mrs Renu Chadha (Banikhet) and Mrs Sarveen Chaudhary (Shahpur), it has brought in two new faces — Rani Kiran Kumari (Mandi) and Mrs Anita Sandal (Paragpur), while two others, Mrs Nirmala Devi and Mrs Shyama Sharma, have been denied ticket. In contrast, the Congress has given ticket to 10 women candidates as against six last time. They include Mrs Vidya Stokes (Kumarsain), Rani Sukriti Devi (Nalagarh), Maj (Mrs) Krishna Mohini (Solan), Mrs Roop Rani (Geharwin), Mrs Anita Verma (Hamirpur), Mrs Vidya Zar (Nadaunta), Mrs Viplove Thakur (Jaswan), Mrs Chandresh Kumari (Dharamsala) and Mrs Asha Kumari (Banikhet). Members of the erstwhile ruling families continue to find favour with the two parties. There are seven candidates from the royal families this time. The Congress has again given ticket to five such candidates. They include, Mr Virbhadra Singh (Rohru), Mr Yoginder Chand (Chopal), Rani Sukriti Devi (Nalagarh), Mrs Asha Kumari (Banikhet) and Mrs Chandresh Kumari (Dharamsala), Mr Mohinder Pal has been denied the party ticket from Kutlehar this time. Rani Sukriti Devi is entering the fray for the first time. The BJP has fielded two candidates from royal families. Mrs Kiran Kumari (Mandi) is making her electoral debut, while Mr Karan Singh (Kulu) has been in the thick of politics for the past two decades. In the last election, the two parties had together fielded seven candidates from the erstwhile royal families. |
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CPI rejects Solan unit’s plea Kumarhatti, February 3 Mr Gurdev Singh, district secretary of the party, in a press note issued here today said the central leadership had told the unit to concentrate only on the Doon seat. The only aim of the party was to defeat the BJP, he said. The party, in its campaign, would highlight the misdeeds of the BJP which had done little for the welfare of farmers and labours in state, he blamed. |
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Cong favours review of MoUs Mandi, February 3 Addressing newspersons here, he said there would be a direct contest between the Congress and the BJP. He claimed that no third front existed in the state. Replying to a question, he said the HVC had lost its base and its rank and file had joined the Congress. |
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‘Mysterious’ disease kills 700 sheep Nahan, February 3 Sheep and goats first develop breathing problem and thereafter their legs and throat get paralysed and the animals die. Satinder Singh, Lachmi Chand, Ram Pal, Vinod, Ramesh, Raj Bhagat, Kushal Singh, Dhyan Singh (all from Kinnaur district), Bhaga Ram (from Rohru), Kunju Ram (from Baijnath) are said to have lost more than 700 animals. Other shepherds are also facing similar problems to hence spent lakhs on medicines to no avail. Shepherds alleged that the Himachal Government’s Department of Animal Husbandry Sirmaur had asked them to approach “higher authorities” as they did not have medicine for the purpose. A shepherd said a social worker of Nahan met them and following his intervention a team from Shimla and from Palampur Agriculture University visited their flocks. Medicines prescribed by the Veterinary doctors from Shimla did not improve the condition of the animals. The team also sent a sample of the diseased animals for testing to Palampur University on January 22 by hand, outcome of which was awaited despite varsity authorities assuring to send result of laboratory investigation in 48 hours. A team of animal scientists from Palampur University visited the flocks on January 31 and prescribed medicines which were not available even in Chandigarh, said a shepherd. They said they did not have money to purchase medicines as they had already spent lakhs on medicines. They said that they have written to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary of Himachal on their problem but none had come forward to help them. They said that the Animal Husbandry department Sirmaur had written to its head office at Shimla for permission to purchase medicines but the Directorate office of the Animal Husbandry department was not responding. Several efforts to contact the Assistant Director of Animal Husbandry Department could not materialise but Mrs (Dr) Neeru Shabnam, Technical Officer said medicines would be provided as they received sanction for the purchase of medicines. She said that they had visited the flocks and shepherds were having hard time. |
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DHARAMSALA: DCC Kangra general secretary Ram Saroop, who had contested the last elections on the party ticket from Dharamsala, resigned on Monday in protest against the denial of ticket, which had been allotted to the All-India Mahila Congress president Ms Chandresh Kumari. He said the high command had not followed norms while giving ticket for Dharamsala. He said he had met HVC supremo Sukh Ram and leaders of other groups. Mr Ram Saroop said he would contest the elections and was trying to ensure that a common candidate was fielded by the third front. OC Rally at Dharampur Rebels set up forum |
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