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Friday,
February 7, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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We’ll repeat Gujarat: Mahajan 215 file papers on penultimate
day Fair sex awaits fair deal
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Declaration of assets to be mandatory: CM Virbhadra loyalist expelled Sat Mahajan: govt has betrayed
people 10 battalions on poll duty Ban orders in Bilaspur
Phytopathological Society president
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We’ll repeat Gujarat: Mahajan Shimla, February 6 Addressing a press conference here today, he said the BJP had been able to overcome the anti-incumbency factor to score impressive wins in Goa and Gujarat where it was in power. The party was certain to repeat its electoral performance in the two states in Himachal Pradesh too. He said the poll in the hill state was crucial for the party, though it had fielded candidates in the three North-East states which are going to the polls on February 26. He said the party was contesting 29 seats in Nagaland and 32 seats in Meghalya on its own, whereas it had put up 21 candidates in Tripura in alliance with the Trinamool Congress, the Janata Dal, the Samata Party and the Amar Bangla, a regional party. He said the outcome of the Himachal poll would have a bearing on the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, which would go to the polls later this year. Mr Mahajan, who is also the head of the party’s election management committee, will camp in Shimla until the polling, while Mr Rajnath Singh and Mr M.L. Khurana will take care of the Mandi and Kangra regions. He said the BJP would seek vote on the basis of its achievements over the past five years, and it would ask the Congress to tell the people what it did for the state during its 45-year rule. Thus, the electorate would be able to compare the performance of the two parties and it would certainly choose the BJP. Besides, the party would also focus on the cordial Centre-state relations which were essential to ensure speedy development of the state. The Vajpayee government had given liberal assistance to the state and had also started work on mega projects like the Rohtang tunnel. The road network had been expanded as never before and a special package had been given to accelerate the pace of industrialisation. National issues like the tough stand taken by the Centre on the issue of infiltration from Bangladesh and the legal initiative taken to pave the way for starting work on the Ayodhya temple would also have a bearing on the poll. He said the Congress was afraid of having an open debate on the issue of development and it was trying to sidetrack the issue by launching a malicious “spit-and-run” campaign, levelling wild allegation against the Chief Minister, Mr
P.K. Dhumal. |
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215 file papers on penultimate
day Shimla, February 6 While Ms Stokes filed her nomination from the Kumarsain Assembly segment in Shimla district, Mr Mahajan filed papers from Nurpur in Kangra district, Mr Jai Kishan Sharma from Santokhgarh in Una district and Mr Sukh Ram from Nandi. Ms Stokes faces rebellion within the party with a Virbhadra Singh loyalist, Mr Pramod Sharma, filing papers as an Independent candidate from Kumarsain. As many as 34 were nominations were filed by BJP candidates across the state, 21 by those of the Congress and 13 by HVC candidates. Minister of State for Irrigation and Public Health Ramesh Dhawala, Minister for Technical Education Ravinder Singh Ravi and Minister for Youth Affairs and Excise Praveen Sharma also filed their papers today. BILASPUR: Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda filed his nomination from Bilaspur (Sadar) here on Thursday while another BJP candidate, Randhir Sharma, filed nomination from Kotkehloor. They were accompanied by MP Suresh Chandel and other BJP leaders. Similarly, Congress candidate from Bilaspur (Sadar) Tilak Raj Sharma filed nomination while “rebel” candidate Bambar Thakur, a member of the HPCC, filed papers as an Independent candidate. Himachal Vikas Congress youth wing distt president Baldev Singh Thakur also filed papers from Bilaspur (Sadar). CHAMBA: Eleven candidates on Thursday filed nominations in Chamba district, according to Mr Rahul Anand, District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Chamba. Bhattiyat — Mr Kishori Lal (BJP), Mr Brij Lal Sharma (BJP), Mr Shiv Kumar (Congress), Mr Kaloo am Goria (Lok Janshakti Party); Banikhet — Mrs Renu Chadha (BJP), Mr Ashish Chadha (BJP); CHAMBA — Mr Balkrishan Chauhan (BJP), Bharmour (ST) — Mr Tulsi Ram (BJP), Mr Chaman Lal (BJP), Mr Thakur Singh (Congress) and Mr Kartar Singh (HVC). DHARAMSALA: As many as 50 candidates belonging to various political parties and Independents filed nomination papers for 16 Vidhan Sabha constituencies of Kangra district on Thursday. This brings the total number of nominations filed in the district to 78. MANDI:
Mr Sukh Ram, HVC supremo, on Thursday filed his nomination from the Mandi Sadar constituency. He came to the mini secretariat in a procession accompanied by his son, Mr Anil Sharma, a Rajya Sabha member, and his wife, Ms Ramo Devi, who is also the covering candidate for Mr Sukh Ram. Rani Kiran Kumari (BJP), Durga Dutt Thakur (INC), Narinder Kaundal (Himloktantrik Morcha), Hari Singh and Amar Nirgotra, both Independents, also filed nominations from the Mandi constituency. The following candidates filed their nominations from other constituencies of the districts: Balh — Damodar Das (BJP), Prakash Chaudhary (HVC), Mahant Ram filed two nomination papers. Sundernagar — Sohan Lal Thakur Roop Singh (BJP), Devinder Sharma (Ind). Nachan: Krishan Kumar (Him Loktantrik Morcha), Dile Ram (BJP), Damodar Singh (HVC) and Sunder Lal Kaundal (Ind). Karsog — Joginder Pal (BJP):
Jogindernagar — Surinder Pal (INC), Prem Nath (Him Loktantrik Morcha) and Jai Singh (Ind). Darang — Thakur Kaul Singh (INC) and Dharam Singh (Him Loktantrik Morcha). Chachiot — Thakur Jai Ram (BJP). GOPALPUR: Inder Singh (BJP). Dharampur — Natha Singh (INC), Damodar Singh (BSP), Karamvir (BJP) and Suresh Kumar (NCP). UNA: As many as 25 candidates filed their nominations in Una district. Seven candidates filed their nominations for the Santoshgarh constituency, namely Mr Jai Kishan Sharma (BJP), Kashmiri Lal Joshi (Cong), Vijay Joshi (HVC), Mr Parmod Kumar (BSP), Sher Singh (BSP), Jagroop Singh (Ind), Lekh Raj (Ind). Una — Hem Raj (BSP), Varinder Gautam (Cong), Satpal Satti, Ram Pal Saini, and Ramesh Kumar (BJP). Kutlehar — Ram Dass Malangar filed two sets, one as the BJP candidate and the second set as an Independent candidate, Pawan Kumar (Ind), Saroj Thakur (Cong), Varinder Singh (BJP), Desh Raj Modgil (BSP). Gagret (SC) — Parkash Chand (NCP), Lekh Raj (BSP), Balbir Singh (BJP). Chintpurni — Mr Parveen Sharma (BJP), Ramesh Chand (NCP), Ram Dass (BSP). SOLAN:
As many as 24 candidates, including six independents and others belonging to the Congress, the BJP, the HVC and the Him Loktantrik Morcha as well as five covering candidates filed their nominations in Solan district on Friday taking the tally of candidates to 40. Four of the five sitting MLAs of the dissolved Assembly in the district filed their nominations. They included Dr Rajeev Bindal (BJP) from Solan, Mr Raghu Raj (Congress) from Kasauli, Mr Lajja Ram (Congress) from Doon and Mr H.N. Saini (BJP) from Nalagarh. In addition to this, Rani Sukriti (Congress) from Nalagarh, Mr Govind Ram (BJP) from Arki, Mr Mahender Sharma (HVC) from Solan, Mr Vishal Sharma (HVC) from Arki and Mr Vinod Kumar (HVC) from Kasauli, Mr Vinod Chandel (Him Loktantrik Morcha) from Doon were among others who filed nominations. While the BJP candidates were accompanied by an impressive gathering after the arrival of Mr Arun Jaitley, Union Minister of Law, and Mr Pramod Mahajan, party general secretary, here from Parwanoo to bless the party candidates. Meanwhile resentment against Congress nominee Major Krishna Mohini from Solan came to the fore on Thursday with only a handful of people following her procession to the SDM’s office where she filed her nominations. While all senior Congressmen, including 15 other ticket-seekers abstained from the procession for not having being informed about her programme, the ones who attended included students, most of whom do not even have the voting right. PALAMPUR: Ten nominees filed their nomination papers from three constituencies of Palampur subdivision on Thursday. They include Mr Pritam Chand (Independent), Mr Uttam Chand (Him Loktantrik Morcha) and Mr Atma Ram (BJP) from the Rajgir constituency; Mr Romesh Bhau (Him Loktantrik Morcha), Ms Kamlesh Kumari (BSP), Mr Parveen Sharma (BJP) and Mr Gopal Nag (HVC) from the Palampur constituency; and Mr Vipan Parmar (BJP), Mr Jagroop Singh (Lok Janshakti Party) from the Sulah constituency. |
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Fair sex awaits fair deal Shimla, February 6 While all five Assembly segments of Hamirpur district have more women voters than men, there are 12 seats in Kangra district where the fair sex holds the numerical advantage. Besides, the women voters exceed men voters in the Arki constituency of Solan district, the Geharwin constituency of Bilaspur and the Gagret constituency of Una. The highest difference is in the Sulah constituency of Kangra where women voters outnumber men voters by 3831. It is followed by Bamsen (3332), the constituency of Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister; Thural (3215), Mewa (3178) and Nadaunta (2800). However, the numerical superiority of the fair sex notwithstanding, the political parties are wary of fielding women candidates. For instance, the BJP has nominated only six women as compared to four in the last Assembly elections. The Congress has given the ticket to 10 women candidates as against five such in the last election. It has now been almost a decade since women were given 33 per cent reservation in panchayats in accordance with the 74th constitutional amendment but their presence in the electoral arena continues to be insignificant as compared to the panchayats elections. Members of the fair sex first made their presence felt in 1977 when nine candidates entered the fray. However, only Ms Shyama Sharma got elected. She is contesting the coming election as the BJP candidate from Nahan. In 1982 once again nine women entered the electoral arena and only three — Ms Shyama Sharma, Mrs Chandresh Kumari and Mrs Vidya Stokes — were successful. Similarly, in 1985 only three of the 10 women contestants managed to enter the house. As many as 13 women contested the 1990 elections but again only three came out victorious. Besides, Mrs Vidya Stokes and Ms Shyama Sharma, Mrs Sushma Sharma was also successful. The number of women candidates rose to 16 in the 1993 elections but the number of successful candidates remained at three. While Mrs Viplove Thakur, Mrs Asha Kumari and Ms Krishna Mohini emerged victorious, Mrs Vidya Stokes, who had won all elections since 1982, was defeated from the Theog constituency. Subsequently, Mrs Anita Verma entered the House, winning the byelection to the Hamirpur seat which had fallen vacant due to the death of BJP stalwart Jagdev Chand. She lost to Mr Jagdev Chand in the general election. In the last elections, six women, the highest-ever number, made it to the Assembly. Another women candidate, Mrs Nirmala Devi, found her way into the House by winning the byelection to the Pragpur seat held after the death of her husband, Mr Virender Kumar, who was elected in the general election. However, the total number of women in the House remained at six as another member, Ms Krishna Mohini, was unseated from Solan. |
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Declaration of assets to be mandatory: CM Shimla, February 6 Talking to newsmen here today, he said the BJP was serious about the issue from the beginning and it also brought a Bill to this effect in the House. However, it was referred to a select committee by the House. The committee pointed out that such a law had not been enacted anywhere in the country and the Centre was considering to bring such legislation. As such the state should wait for the Centre to come out with the proposed Bill. However, now the BJP, if voted to power, would enact such a law immediately. Referring to charges of corruption levelled by the Congress he said the party had seen the writing on the wall and it was making false allegations to deviate the attention of the people from the achievements of the BJP Government. He said he had declared his assets way back in April, 1998, and the rest of the BJP legislators did so last year after the Bill concerning declaration of the assets could not be passed. The details of assets were submitted to the Speaker. On the other hand the Congress legislators failed to do so. As such the party had no right to raise an accusing finger at the BJP. He said the BJP government would ensure that not only legislators but also former Chief Ministers declared their assets. |
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Virbhadra loyalist expelled Shimla, February 6 Mr Sharma was seeking candidature from the assembly
constituency but was denied party backing following the party president deciding to change her constituency from the Theog assembly to Kumarsain. Permanent secretary of the state unit Amarnath Bijwaria informed here today that Mr Sharma was expelled for six years on charges of revolting against senior leaders of the party and indulging in statements of “indiscipline.” |
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Sat Mahajan: govt has betrayed
people Nurpur, February 6 Four sets of papers were filed before the Assistant Returning Officer, Mr B.S. Atri. Mr S.P. Gupta, a senior advocate, is the covering candidate of Mr Mahajan. Meanwhile, a former Congress MLA, Mr Ranjit Bakshi, who was an aspirant for the Congress ticket from the Nurpur Assembly constituency, also filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate. Later, addressing a gathering, Mr Mahajan lashed out at the Prem Kumar Dhumal government for “betraying” the people of the Nurpur Assembly constituency by taking over the local Arya Girls College. He claimed that the electorate would teach a lesson to the BJP-led government. |
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10 battalions on poll duty Kangra, February 6 Stating this here yesterday, Ms Manisha Nanda, Chief Electoral Officer, told mediapersons that all arrangements for the elections had been completed and review committees at the district level had been formed to monitor the day-to-day situation. She said the Chief Secretary had called a meeting of heads of various departments and Secretaries to discuss the steps taken. She said a meeting of senior officers of three districts had been held at Mandi recently. She said the Chief Secretary met the Deputy Commissioners and district police chiefs of Kangra, Chamba, Hamirpur and Una at Dharamsala yesterday. She said 27,000 to 28,000 employees would be engaged in the poll process on the day of polling. She added that the Election Commission had provided 8,000 electronic voting machines for the polling. Training camps for polling and presiding officers were being conducted at the subdivisional level in all districts. The EVMs were available in panchayats, tehsil and SDM offices, to the public. Teams comprising two or three persons would be deputed at the village level to train the people on how to use EVMs for polling. |
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Ban orders in Bilaspur Bilaspur, February 6 These orders, to remain in force till March 3, will not be applicable to the security forces and police and Home Guards personnel deployed on election duty. |
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BJP revokes Thakur’s expulsion
Resentment against Cong nominee
Dhadwal to be ‘Mittar Milan’ nominee |
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Phytopathological Society president Shimla, February 6 Besides, Dr Khurana has been conferred with the best scientist of the year award 2002 by the National Environmental Science Academy for his outstanding contributions in the detection and control of plant viruses as well as potato Research and Development over the past 30 years. This was stated in a press note issued by the Institute her today. |
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Shimla, February 6
