Cong activists join BJP
KULU, Sept 1 — Many activists of the Congress have joined the BJP during the past one week.

ITBP team scales virgin peak
CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — An expedition of the 16 Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police has successfully scaled a virgin peak in the Sangla valley in Kinnaur district of Himachal.

Soldier from Solan killed in Doda
SOLAN, Sept 1 — Amar Lal of 8 Rashtriya Rifles, who hailed from Mariyun village of Kishan Garh sub-tehsil of the district, laid down his life during Operation Rakshak, an anti-insurgency operation, at Chaat village in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir last night.

NSUI rejects agreement
SHIMLA, Sept 1 — The Central Working Committee (CWC) of the state unit of the NSUI has rejected an agreement between the H.P.University authorities and three student organisations and has alleged that interests of students have been "sold out" to the university authorities and the state government.

Sultanpuri twist took HPCC by surprise
MANDI, Sept 1 — The last-minute change of its Shimla candidate by the AICC caught even HPCC chief Sat Mahajan by surprise.

Two more file papers in HP
SHIMLA, Sept 1 — Two candidates filed their nomination papers on the third day of the filing of papers taking the tally to seven today in Himachal Pradesh which would go to the polls on September 25.

Savings scheme launched
SHIMLA, Sept 1 — Mr A.K. Goswami, Chief Secretary to the Himachal Government, launched "Bhagya Surabhi Puraskar Yojna" here today to ensure people to invest in small savings.

Cong charge against Dhumal govt
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 1 — The Congress has alleged that the BJP-HVC government headed by Mr P.K. Dhumal has succumbed to the pressure of the mafia which has become powerful in the state.

This was alleged by the PCC president, Mr Sat Mahajan and the LCP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, at a news conference here today.

The two leaders alleged that the Dhumal Government was working under the pressure of the mafia and the common man was totally disillusioned with its functioning.

They said the BJP-HVC combine government had surpassed all that for which it had criticised the previous Congress government. Loans were being raised from the open market for meeting government expenses.

They alleged that the administrative system had collapsed as the ruling alliance was busy saffronising the services.

Mr Mahajan said the BJP leader, Mr Shanta Kumar, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election against him in Kangra, was the most unpopular Chief Minister Himachal had ever had.

He alleged that corruption had crossed all levels during the present regime.

He demanded that the pension of army jawans should be raised to Rs 4000 per month.

Mr Virbhadra Singh alleged that the Dhumal Government had sold the interests of Himachal Pradesh by signing agreements for the construction of the Parbati and the Chamera (stage-II) hydroelectric projects.

Mr Mahajan and Mr Virbhadra Singh said the public distribution system (PDS) had collapsed and the poor were being supplied foodgrain at a higher price.

They demanded immediate action against the minister who had been named in his suicide note by a Superintending Engineer of the Irrigation and Public Health Department. The minister had been harassing him, they alleged.

They also demanded that the suicide note of a resident doctor of the IGMC, Dr Harpal Singh, should be made public so that the truth came out. A senior doctor of the college had been divested of his charge without holding a proper enquiry into the allegations against him.

Mr K.D. Sultanpuri, who has been replaced as the party candidate for the Shimla (Reserve) Lok Sabha seat, told reporters that he had himself asked the party high command to field Mr Gangu Ram Musafir as he was not in a position to undertake campaigning in the inhospitable areas as he had undergone an operation.

He said that he would work for the victory of Mr Musafir.

No misuse of govt machinery: CM
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Sept 1 — The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, has refuted the allegations of the Congress that the BJP is misusing official machinery during elections. These charges are purely political one, he added.

Talking to mediapersons at Circuit House here today. The Chief Minister said the state government was committed for conducting the elections in a free and peaceful manner. There was no question of election rigging as alleged by a senior Congress leader, he said.

He denied any threat to the election campaign of the Mandi parliamentary candidate, Mr Maheshwar Singh, due to leaving of many leaders from the Himachal Vikas Congress. He claimed that the election campaign of the party was going on smoothly and there was a wave in favour of the BJP due to positive policies of the Atal Behari Vajpayee government. He claimed that the BJP-HVC combine would win all four seats in the state.

He denounced the charges of Mr Virbhadra Singh that he was being falsely implicated in cases. He alleged that many irregularities were committed during his regime. He charged him for spreading the canard of regionalism in the state. He said his statement that if the Congress comes to power it would scrap the HP Subordinate Selection Board was another glaring example of his regional approach.

Professor Dhumal blamed the Congress for poor economic growth of the country. "There is a need to have a stable government to provide good economic growth rate and it is possible only if the BJP voted to power," he added.

1 dies as tractor, tempo collide
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, Sept 1 — A woman, Meena Devi (28) of Bharathu village was killed while 21 others were injured, one of them seriously as the tractor in which they were travelling from Nehar Harnoda to Markandeya pilgrimage centre for a bath struck against a speeding Tempo coming from the opposite direction.

The tractor was pushed into the Ali Khud from the Ghagus-Brahampukhar road last night. All the injured were rushed to the District Hospital here.

BJP leader Krishan Kumar Kaushal, Congress candidate Ram Lal Thakur and Himachal Vikas Congress leader Sada Ram Thakur and DCC general secretary Pratap Kondal visited the injured.

The police is trying to locate the tractor. Jai Pal, driver of the tractor, is also among the injured and is said to be out of danger.

In another tractor accident at Kathiun village, 60 km from here, its driver Lekhram of Barthin was killed as the tractor turned turtle last night. His body was brought to the District Hospital for a post-mortem.

Resentment over police inaction
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Sept 1 — Resentment prevails among residents of Daultpur and Gama villages against the failure of the police to trace the whereabouts of a minor girl who was allegedly abducted by her cousin on August 22 from Gatta village.

According to reports available, Vipta Devi (17), a resident of Gatta village, was allegedly abducted by Tilak Raj of Daultpur village. An FIR was lodged by her father, Raj Mal, with the Kangra police on the same day. Relatives of the girl alleged that the police had failed to trace her even nine days of her disappearance. They alleged that her two brothers and other relatives, who had tried to trace her, were arrested by the police under Sections 107, 151, IPC, but were later granted bail by the SDM.

Meanwhile, residents of the two villages lodged a complaint with the police that the pardhan of Daultpur village was allegedly harassing them and demanded police intervention. The police said the relatives of the girl were arrested while they were trying to attack a resident of the village with a khukri.

The police has registered a case under Sections 363 and 366 of the IPC.

Cong activists join BJP
From Our Correspondent

KULU, Sept 1 — Many activists of the Congress have joined the BJP during the past one week.

This was claimed by Mr Dinesh Sen, president of the district unit of the BJP, here yesterday. He said Mr Mohar Singh Thakur of Balihani village, Capt Bhag Singh and Havaldar Pratap Chand of the Lug valley, Mr Chande Ram, pardhan of gram panchayat, Falan village, Mr Shiv Chand of Sari village, Mr Tara Chand and Mr Hari Chand of Bashing village and Mr Ranjit Singh, a former municipal councillor, here, have joined the BJP.

Mr Sen criticised Thakur Kaul Singh, a Congress candidate from the Mandi parliamentary seat, for using the tactics to divide the voters for their political gains.

ITBP team scales virgin peak
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — An expedition of the 16 Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police has successfully scaled a virgin peak in the Sangla valley in Kinnaur district of Himachal.

The expedition members were today received by Mr Harbhajan Singh, Commandant, at the unit headquarters at Bonda, Shimla.

The seven-member expedition, led by Deputy Commandant Ishwar Singh Duhan, scaled the 21821-feet peak under adverse climatic conditions and were successful in planting the national flag, the ITBP flag and the unit flag atop the peak. A puja was also performed.

Last year the same members had scaled another virgin peak in the area.

The force has been associated with mountaineering since long and has achieved laurels by scaling 150 peaks, including 40 virgin ones.

Soldier from Solan killed in Doda
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Sept 1 — Amar Lal of 8 Rashtriya Rifles, who hailed from Mariyun village of Kishan Garh sub-tehsil of the district, laid down his life during Operation Rakshak, an anti-insurgency operation, at Chaat village in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir last night.

Amar Lal was part of a party assigned to deal with a group of insurgents reportedly observed moving around Chaat village. The insurgents, the party learnt, had secured a shelter in a house.

They opened fire the moment they observed the Rashtriya Rifles men encircling the house. Amar Lal fell to the bullets while trying to flush out the insurgents.

His body would be brought to Kasauli tomorrow.

NSUI rejects agreement
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 1 — The Central Working Committee (CWC) of the state unit of the NSUI has rejected an agreement between the H.P.University authorities and three student organisations and has alleged that interests of students have been "sold out" to the university authorities and the state government.

CWC members Sandeep Kumar and Maheshwar Chauhan said here today that the strike and the education bandh call were given by the SFI, but the Vice-Chancellor called representatives of all three organisations for negotiations under a "well-planned conspiracy".

The NSUI called a meeting of the CWC on September 4 here to prepare a strategy for the restoration of the SCA elections.

Sultanpuri twist took HPCC by surprise
From Our Correspondent

MANDI, Sept 1 — The last-minute change of its Shimla candidate by the AICC caught even HPCC chief Sat Mahajan by surprise.

Addressing questions by the media here last evening he said "till now Sultanpuri is the candidate" reply to the repeated questions about whether the party was considering a change of candidate.

"I read about these surmises only in a section of the press", he said.

The BJP has made this last minute change an election issue here.

Two more file papers in HP

SHIMLA, Sept 1 (UNI) — Two candidates filed their nomination papers on the third day of the filing of papers taking the tally to seven today in Himachal Pradesh which would go to the polls on September 25.

While Mr Amar Nath filed his papers as the Himachal Vikas Congress (covering) candidate for the Shimla (SC) seat, an independent Shakti Chand submitted his nominations for the Kangra seat.

No candidates filed papers for the Mandi and Hamirpur seats.

The filing of nominations will continue till September 6. The scrutiny of papers will take place the next day and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature has been fixed September 9.

Savings scheme launched
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 1 — Mr A.K. Goswami, Chief Secretary to the Himachal Government, launched "Bhagya Surabhi Puraskar Yojna" here today to ensure people to invest in small savings.

Under the scheme a coupon will be given on an investment of Rs 5000, from September 1 to March 31, 2000. There are 2787 prizes in all worth Rs 25 lakh, which include a Tata Sumo, a Maruti 800 and three scooters.

The draw for the "Swarn Jayanti Prize Scheme" were also taken out. Mr Nand Lal Sharma, Director, Small Savings, said that in all Rs 86 crore were deposited under the scheme under which prizes worth Rs 15.16 lakh were given.