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Thursday,
January 23, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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BJP will bag over 50 seats in HP: Rajnath BJP’s
manifesto may include new tunnel projects Stokes asks Dhumal to declare assets Dhumal refutes
Capt’s charges Voters’ list available |
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No alliance with
HVC: morcha Farmers demand compensation Cong leader acquitted in Gandhi statue case Kangra under
power cuts Plea to political parties Statehood Day function 
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BJP will bag over 50 seats in HP: Rajnath Chandigarh, January 22 After a whirlwind tour of some HP constituencies Mr Rajnath Singh told TNS in an exclusive interview before boarding the evening Shatabdi for New Delhi, that since every state had its own political history, character, problems and issues, no parallels should be drawn between success of the BJP in Gujarat or the one it would achieve in Himachal. The Congress had put all its resources at stake in Gujarat and yet the BJP won. ‘’My advice to the Congress is to do the same in Himachal because that will help the BJP fare better’’. Mr Rajnath Singh also referred to the talks of ‘’electoral alliance’’ between the Congress and the Himachal Vikas Congress. He would not commit if the BJP has closed its doors on the
HVC. But after a meaningful pause he added, ‘’I will suggest that Sukh Ramji should contest the elections on his own steam.” He also dismissed as inconsequential that Himachal would be swept by ‘’Modiutava’’. The BJP Chief Ministers would campaign in the hills but on the state’s agenda and issues concerning the people. Mr Rajnath Singh, who is also Chairman of the committee examining the Kalekar report, said he would disclose the contents of his recommendations in New Delhi tomorrow. On persistent asking all he said was that ‘’Agriculture will be kept outside the ambit of income tax and economic interests of the salaried class, self-employed and farmers will be fully protected’’. The elections in Himachal were of prime importance to the BJP and the National General Secretary said there was no friction between Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal and Mr Shanta Kumar. He also refuted reports that the latter was finding berth in the NDA Government suffocating. Mr Shanta Kumar would remain in charge of the election campaign. Mr Rajnath Singh did not spare any adjective to describe the contribution of Mr Dhumal in the development of Himachal and, above all, he stressed that “Mr Dhumal has succeeded in establishing his credentials with the people. He has come out of the syndrome of crisis of confidence that at present stalks Indian politics’’. His accessibility, sympathetic attitude and spirit of service to the people and development of the infrastructure (over 3,500 kms roads and 250-odd bridges) would help the BJP win votes. Moreover, the BJP had implemented what it had promised in its election manifesto. He rubbished the charges of corruption levied by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh against his counterpart, Mr Dhumal, at a recent election rally. Asked to list specific similarities and contrasts between the BJP and the Congress — as people normally have no choice but to vote for either of the two — Mr Rajnath Singh said there were no similarities between the two but several striking contrasts. For one the BJP was a cadre-based party where the organisational elections speak volumes for its internal democracy. The Congress did not have this. The BJP unlike the Congress has a definite political ideology and thought. Unlike in the Congress, there had never been any vertical split in the BJP. Moreover, the BJP understood ‘’Bharat’s nature. For it, India is not just a politico-territorial country but a geo-cultural nation.” |
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BJP’s
manifesto may include new tunnel projects Shimla, January 22 The party, which is in the process of giving final shape to the manifesto, is consulting experts to identify feasible tunnels to reduce the distance between important areas separated by high hill ranges. According to party sources two tunnel projects have already been identified. One such tunnel is being proposed under Khara Pather to provide an all-weather road to connect Upper Shimla areas of Jubbal-Kotkhai-Rohru. A similar tunnel is being proposed to provide better connectivity between Bilaspur and Una with the ultimate objective of having an express highway to reduce travel time between the two districts. The focus of the manifesto will be on issues like the removal of unemployment and the development of infrastructure like roads to boost economic activity in the interior areas. Besides, the thrust on the hydel sector, the state’s tourism potential will be exploited to generate employment. The party will promise to develop new tourist places by improving the basic infrastructure. The growth of the tourism industry in the interior areas will automatically generate employment opportunities. Already some places like Giri Ganga uphill Khara Pathar in Upper Shimla and Bhadarpur in Bilaspur have been identified. Some more places with tourism potential are likely to be included in the manifesto. Similarly, the party will promise the setting up of new economic zones and industrial areas to give a boost to industrialisation in the interior areas. The construction of express highways and tunnels will improve communication to pave the way for the dispersal of industry, which has so far been largely confined to peripheral areas. Strategists feel that such a well-coordinated plan could convince the electorate that the party was sincere about the removal of unemployment. More importantly, the party will underline the fact that these promises could be implemented only with liberal central assistance. This will enable the party to make a strong case for voting the party, which is ruling at the Centre, to power in the state. The liberal assistance given by the Vajpayee government will help the party convince people that the promises could be fulfilled. Some promises like the promulgation of an act to ban religious conversion are also likely to figure in the manifesto to enable the party to exploit the Hindutva card, which paid rich dividends to the party in Gujarat. The manifesto committee headed by Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, MP, will soon have discussions to give final shape to the manifesto. Central leaders will also have a look at the manifesto which is likely to be released around the second week of February. |
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Stokes asks Dhumal to declare assets Shimla, January 22 In a statement, here today, she said wild accusations against Captain Amarinder, who had emerged as a crusader against corruption, would not serve any purpose. The charge of a responsible leader like Captain Amarinder Singh could not be taken lightly and dismissed like this she said. Moreover, the BJP in its election manifesto had promised that its legislators would declare their assets within three months after election to the Vidhan Sabha. The promise was conveniently forgotten. It was high time for the party to fulfil the promise to belies charges of corruption. Reacting to the statement of Mr Dhumal that some forces did not want that a poor man’s son should become the Chief Minister, Mrs Stokes said the state would have benefited had he done something to uplift the poor in the state after assuming office. Unfortunately, the Dhumal government burdened the poor people of Himachal with user-charges in hospitals making medical treatment out of reach for the poor. The government revised power tariff repeatedly even for the domestic consumers and gave huge rebates to industrial houses. His government harassed the poor people and did grave injustice to them by giving jobs to non-Himachalis on alterions considerations. She said corruption in employment was the main issue of election in Himachal and the unemployed youth, whose number had crossed 11 lakh, would give a befitting reply to the BJP in the elections on this issue. |
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Dhumal refutes
Capt’s charges Chintpurni (Una), January 22 At Amb, the gathering witnessed a fiery speech by former UP Chief Minister Raj Nath Singh who labelled the Congress as communal, saying that “it had been playing caste-based politics to maintain its vote bank”. Regarding the allegations of corruption levelled by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Mr Dhumal offered Capt Amarinder to exchange their assets. He said: “If Amarinder Singh is so concerned about the people of Himachal Pradesh, he should first give Rs 75 crore which Punjab owes to Himachal Pradesh as its share in the Shah Nehar project.” |
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Voters’ list available Shimla, January 22 The state Chief Electoral Officer, Ms Manisha Nanda said a set of one Lok Sabha constituency could be obtained on the payment of Rs 500. She said there were 40,88,844 electorate, including 30,679 service voters, The Khaira polling station in the Sulah Assembly constituency in Kangra district had the highest number of 1435 voters while the Taleru polling booth in the Banikhet constituency in Chamba district had the lowest number of 22 electorate. Hikkim, the highest polling booth in Lahaul and Spiti at an altitude of 15,000 ft had 305 voters. Two polling booths would be set up exclusively for women voters at Mahli and Patyog in the Kusumpti constituency in Shimla district, raising the total number of booths for 68 Assembly seats from 6230 to 6232.
PTI |
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No alliance with
HVC: morcha Mandi, January 22 Holding the HVC equally responsible for the anti-people policies of the government, he said Mr Sukh Ram had lost the trust of the people and many of his followers had joined other parties. Talking to newspersons, Mr Mahinder Singh, once a close confidant of Mr Sukh Ram alleged that the HVC leader had ditched him. He claimed that Mr Sukh Ram was trying to forge an alliance with the Congress. He said BJP workers were against an alliance with the HVC, adding that the HVC was holding talks with various political parties. He claimed that the morcha would emerge as the third force in the state, adding that the HVC had lost its base. |
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Farmers demand compensation Nurpur, January 22 Fruit growers of the area, which is known as the “bowl of citrus fruit and mango,” are also suffering due to the failure of winter rain. The local fruit growers as well as farmers mainly depend upon rain. The farmers who had sown 10 to 15 per cent of the rabi crops a few months ago lament that they had lost wheat seed by sowing it before it rained. They are also finding it difficult to feed their cattle due to the shortage of fodder. Moreover, fog has also caused widespread loss to the fruit plants in the area. The low temperatures and dry spell in the winter affected mango, papaya and litchi plantation. Plant nurseries in lower Kangra district have also been badly affected. Several fruit growers and farmers of the area have urged the government to conduct a survey regarding the loss of rabi and fruit crops and provide adequate compensation in this regard. |
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Cong leader acquitted in Gandhi statue case Hamirpur, January 22 The court held that the prosecution here failed to prove guilt of the accused. The court also ordered that the head of the
statue be returned to the Hamirpur Nagar Parishad after the expiry of two months. While talking to reporters at Hotel Hamir, Mr Kaushal termed his acquittal as a victory of the truth. He said he had been fighting to expose those who had damaged the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. He said that he would file defamation case against the state government shortly for causing him mental and physical torture. This judgement may help Mr Kaushal get Congress party ticket from Mewa (Reserve) Assembly seat from where he had lost last time. |
Kangra under
power cuts Kangra, January 22 The Deputy Chief Engineer, H.P. State Electricity Board, Kangra Circle, Mr M.S. Rait, told this correspondent that the unprecedented dry spell had dried up rivers leaving the HPSEB with no option but to impose power cuts. Mr Rait said the power cuts were imposed between 12.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. and between 4 pm to 5.30 pm daily. He said persons over drawing power would be penalised 200 times. He said if need arose, the power cuts might be imposed in the peak hours of the evening too. |
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Plea to political parties Bakloh (Chamba), January 22 The Bakloh-Kakira at present falls in Bhattiyat tehsil of Chamba district, a backward tehsil. Therefore, it is arduous for the people of Bakloh-Kakira are to go to Chowari, the tehsil headquarters of Bhattiyat for their routine work. |
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Statehood Day function Dharamsala, January 22 Himachal Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal will preside over the function. For the first time, Republic Day will also be celebrated in the district. The main function will be held at Dharamsala and the Chief Minister will take the salute. |
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Boy run over by bus Hamirpur, January 22 The bus has been impounded and a case registered against the driver. |
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