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Saturday,
February 1, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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STATE OF PARTIES — BJP Ban on
banners flouted HVC announces 30 nominees
Rules in respect of posts overlooked Postal, Telecom Depts at loggerheads |
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Tibetans flay Dhondup’s execution
Dharampur to have trauma centre Anti-Leprosy Day observed
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STATE OF PARTIES — BJP Shimla The party has miserably failed to close ranks and project a united image even on the eve of the assembly elections. It managed to complete its full term in the government for the first time in the state but the pot of dissidence kept boiling all through. While there was no love lost between arch rivals, Mr P.K. Dhumal and Mr Shanta Kumar, the scourge of factionalism afflicted the party right down to the grassroots. Unlike the previous two terms in office, the BJP has failed to retain its identity as a "party with a difference". It has acquired all ills for which it criticised the rival Congress during the five-year stint in the government. Incessant infighting and indiscipline has shaken the very roots of the party and sapped its vitality, which provided it an edge over the rivals in electioneering. Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, who formed a coalition with the support of the HVC in the wake of a hung assembly, did not have a smooth sailing. While he was able to contain the Opposition, his own partymen upset his applecart by sending signals of revolt time and again. The open rebellion by some ministers and legislators, who levelled serious charges of corruption against their own government, caused much embarrassment to the party. The re-induction of the rebel ministers into the Cabinet without withdrawing the charges against them severely dented the image of the government and provided ammunition to the Congress for attacking it on the issue of corruption. Incidentally, a majority of the rebels were supporters of Mr Shanta Kumar who have been constantly complaining of being sidelined in the party and the government. In fact, the high command was compelled to remove Mr Narinder Modi as the party affairs in charge to buy peace with the rebels who accused him of being partial and propping up rootless leaders to upstage senior well-established ones. The exit of Mr Modi provided only a temporary reprieve from infighting and mistrust between the two factions persisted. The state leadership also erred by adopting double standards in enforcing discipline. While no action was taken against legislators and ministers who levelled serious charges against the government, several other party leaders were sacked for indulging in anti-party activities. The expelled leaders like Mr Mohinder Sofat, Mr Narinder Thakur and Mr Kamal Padha have been organising "mitra milans"for the past over one year to challenge the party in the electoral arena. Interestingly, infighting has been continuing in the party unabated even though there is no tussle for leadership. Mr Shanta Kumar has all along maintained that he was comfortable as a minister at the Centre and had no desire to return to state politics. The ill -advised move of the government to create new districts and the delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies brought the factional fight to a flashpoint on the poll-eve. The open opposition by the Shanta Kumar loyalists, who termed it as a conspiracy to truncate Kangra district and seal the fate of their leader, forced the government to drop the move on new districts. Even the wife of Mr Shanta Kumar came out openly against Mr Dhumal and accused him of indulging in nepotism. The process of delimitation was subsequently deferred. However, much damage has been caused to the party by then. In a bid to "patch up" the differences between the two leaders, the high command made Mr Shanta Kumar the head of the campaign committee. However, efforts of the Dhumal camp to create a division in the rival camp by projecting Dr Shiv Kumar, who had earlier resigned from the party, as the candidate from Palampur again fuelled infighting and central leaders had to intervene to persuade Mr Shanta Kumar to continue to head the poll campaign. The high command could not implement its strategy to replace many sitting legislators due to the irreconcilable differences between the rival factions. Fearing large-scale unrest in the party, it played safe and granted the ticket to all, except five legislators. As the Congress has made corruption its main plank the party was expected to axe some of the tainted MLA's and ministers but that has not happened. Ironically, all those denied the party ticket not only have a clean image but had also remain aloof from controversies and played no role in factionalism. They include Mr Chander Sen, Mr Chet Ram Negi,Mr Ram Das Malangar and Mrs Nirmala Devi. Yet a rebellion is building up in Sirmaur, Kulu and Lahaul -Spiti districts over the faulty ticket distribution. In three other districts, Solan, Hamirpur and Una, dissidents who have been active for the past over one year are likely to contest about six seats. The only redeeming feature for the party is that the main opposition the Congress, is also plagued with intense infighting, which could bolster its electoral prospects in many seats. |
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Ban on
banners flouted Solan, January 31 The notification issued
to the heads of all national and regional political parties by Deputy
Commissioner Bharat Khera on January 24 has been ignored by these two
parties. The Deputy Commissioner said such material would be removed
only after the nomination of candidates was finalised on February 10.
An appeal would first be issued to the respective parties and then the
administration would remove these on their own and the cost of removal
would be recovered from the offenders. |
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HVC announces 30 nominees Mandi, January 31 The following are the constituency-wise candidates announced this evening: Kinnaur — S.C. Negi; Rohru — Bhikham Singh; Jubbal Kotkhai — Raj Pal Chauhan; Kumarsain — Bhagat Ram Chauhan; Kasumpti — Tarsem Bharti; Solan — Mahender Sharma; Arki — Badri Vishal Sharma, Shillai — Sita Ram; Santokhgarh — Vijai Kumar Joshi; Gagret — P.D. Bhardwaj, Ghumarwin — Gian Chand Rattan, Bilaspur — Baldev Thakur; Chamba — D.P. Malhotra; Baijnath — Rajesh Rana, Palampur — Gopal Nag; Rajgir — P.C. Kaundal; Nagrota — Ramesh Walia; Jawali — Krishana Vij, Gangath — Surender Kala; Lahaul Spiti — Ram Lal Markandy; Karsog — Mansa Ram; Chachiot — Shiv Lal; Nachan — Damodar Dass Chauhan; Gopalpur — Thakur Tej Singh, Balh —Prakash Chaudhary; Dharampur — Nanak Chand Bhardwaj; Jogindernagar — Anjana Thakur; Darang — Dina Nath Gautam; and Mandi Sukh Ram. The HVC spokesman said the final list would be released tomorrow or day after. |
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Shyama quits BJP Nahan, January 31 She announced that she and her supporters would contest the elections from all five Assembly seats in the district. |
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BSP to go it alone Solan, January 31 |
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Rules in respect of posts overlooked Shimla, January 31 Mr Bhoop Ram Verma, President of the state Public Service Commission Employees Association, said here yesterday that the Himachal Government had laid down criteria for the classification of posts on the basis of the revised pay scales and instructed the departments to make necessary amendments in the related recruitment and promotion rules. However, several departments were not adhering to the instructions. After revision of pay scales certain posts which earlier were in the Class-III category become Class-II posts and came within the purview of the commission. Also the government on October 17,2002, issued instructions that since the board had been entrusted with the recruitment for all Class-III posts only, the posts which became re-classified as Class-II now came within the purview of the commission. As such while making requisitions for recruitment to Class-II posts care should be exercised. Mr Verma said that despite instructions the Department of Education recently placed a requisition with the board, for recruitment to the posts of headmaster (school cadre) which came in Class-II category as per government criterion. The board had advertised these posts without keeping in view its jurisdiction and legal fall-out recruiting. He demanded that the advertisement issued by the board, Hamirpur for recruiting headmasters be withdrawn and entire record transferred to the commission for further action. He also demanded that the instructions to this effect be issued to all departments also. |
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Postal, Telecom Depts at loggerheads Kangra, January 31 According to Postal Department sources, the telegraph office is located in the post office building and is being manned by postal employees under the control of the
SDO, Telecom. The telegraph office was deprived of the PCO facility five months back on the pretext that the phone bills were not deposited by the post office authorities with the Telecom Department. This step of the Telecom Department has put residents in trouble. Following this disconnection, the work of the telegraph office was confined to sending of telegrams and faxes only. But the controversy of the two sister departments deepened which took an ugly turn when the telecom authorities on January 6 disconnected another phone line of the telegraph office, leaving its functioning to a standstill. |
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Tibetans flay Dhondup’s execution Dharamsala, January 31 In a statement, Ms Gyari Dolma, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, said the trial was neither transparent nor fair and Lobsang Dhondup was executed without any evidence which was highly deplorable. Ms Dolma alleged that the action of China showed total disregard for international laws and concern of countries and was an attempt to tarnish the image of non-violent struggle of Tibet under the leadership of the Dalai Lama. It also showed the insincerity of the People’s Republic of China for a peaceful settlement of the Tibetan issue, she said. Expressing concern of the Assembly about the welfare of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche who had been awarded death sentence along with a two-year suspension, Ms Dolma demanded a fair retrial and also asked for immediate release of other 10 Tibetans who had been arrested in their effort to get Tezin Delek Rinpoche released. She also appealed to international community to help by exerting pressure on China in this connection. In a separate statement, Mr Nawang Paljor, president of the Dharamsala Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, paid homage to Lobsang Dhondup. He said China had failed to produce any evidence against Lobsang Dhondup and Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a highly respected spiritual leader, in the bombing case. Both were denied legal representation, he claimed. |
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Dharampur to have trauma centre Kumarhatti, January 31 Talking to The Tribune, the CMO said the idea behind to set up the centre was to provide round-the-clock treatment. The rise in accident cases and lack of medical facilities on the Kalka-Shimla highway had prompted the government to take the step, added Dr Narang. |
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Anti-Leprosy Day observed Shimla, January 31 The function was attended by health functionaries and public representatives at
Shamshi. Dr G.D. Mehta, Chief Medical Officer, Kulu, was the chief guest. Dr Om Prakash
Ghandwal, District Leprosy Officer, highlighted the achievements of the district in combating leprosy and enlightened the public about different aspects of the disease. |
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50 booths hyper-sensitive ‘Take’ disciplinary action Jaswal files nomination |
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