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Sunday,
February 2, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Dhumal
files nomination
HP poll:
Congress announces list 14
candidates file papers Rebels may
upset BJP applecart |
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Cong to
expose ‘Mr clean’ STATE OF PARTIES CONGRESS Official
machinery being misused: Pathania Sukh Ram
can’t contest poll: morcha 34 gm of brown sugar seized Kulu, February 1 The police seized 34 gm of brown sugar in two separate incidents yesterday and arrested three persons, including a kingpin supplier of brown sugar and smack in the district. Army
recruitment rally from Feb 4
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Dhumal files nomination Hamirpur, February 1 Mr Dhumal was accompanied by Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Education Minister Ishwar Dass Dhiman, Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Praveen Sharma and Parliamentary Secretary Urmil Thakur, among others. Earlier, the Chief Minister was received at Bhota Chowk here by party workers, who raised slogans in favour of the BJP and the Chief Minister. Before filing his nomination papers, Mr Dhumal offered prayers at the Awahdevi temple. He was greeted on his way from Samirpur to Hamirpur. Addressing a rally near the SDM court after filing his papers, Mr Dhumal claimed that a pro-BJP wave was sweeping across the state. He blasted Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for adopting a feudal culture. He refuted the allegations of Capt Amarinder Singh regarding his ownership of property. Mr Dhumal said the party would contest the elections on the planks of developments, threat to India’s security and integrity and cordial relations between the state government and the Centre. Meanwhile, Dhumal denied any dissidence in the party over the allotment of the ticket for the Vidhan Sabha poll. The party had given the ticket on merit. Talks with members of “Mittars” were on as they were the old party leaders and workers. However, no dead line had been fixed between him and “Mittar Milan” leader, Kamla Nanda. Mr Nanda was a respected party leader and would work for the organisation in the coming elections. Mr Dhumal said the new industrial package given to the state by the Prime Minister would bring a new era of development in the state. Thousands of new industries would come up in the state as more and more facilities and subsidy would be available to them. It would also lead to the investment of crores of rupees in the state and give employment lakhs of unemployed youth. He announced Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee would pay a two-day visit to Himachal on February 21 and 22. He would address public meetings at Shimla and Mandi on February 21 and the Palampur and Hamirpur on February 22. The election manifesto would be released on February 12 when all senior party leaders would launch the party’s election campaign from 10 selected places. Union minister, Sushma Swaraj would address meetings at Nadaun and Hamirpur on January 12. |
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HP poll: Congress announces list New Delhi, February 1 The list was announced late in the evening by the Congress General Secretary Mohsina Kidwai. The Congress has decided to field Mr Habhajan Singh Bhajji from Shimla, Mr Rajinder Verma from Theog, Mr Mukesh Agnihotri from
Santokhgarh, Mr Raghu Raj from Kasauli, Mr Kashmir Singh from Ghumarwin, Mr Jagdish Chand Sepahia from Thural and Mr Kashmir Singh from
Balh. However, the party had second thoughts on the Kutlehar seat where Ms Saroj Thakur emerged the front runner. Former Deputy Speaker Ram Nath Sharma, who recently rejoined the Congress, is a contender for the seat. In Kangra the party has decided to field Mr Surender Kaku instead of Mr
B.D. Chaudhary, who was being considered earlier. Among the 13 new faces being fielded by the party is Mr Mukesh
Agnihotri, a journalist, who will fight against the state BJP chief Jaikrishan Sharma. In Shimla, the party preferred Mr Habhajan Singh Bhajji to former Mayor Adarsh Kumar, who had won the seat the last time he contested. Sources said Mr Bhajji had the backing of Congress spokesman Anand Sharma and PCC chief Vidya Stokes. The party has fielded Mr Kuldeep Pathania from Bamsan against acting Chief Minister Prem Kumar
Dhumal. |
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14 candidates
file papers Shimla, February 1 In Solan district Mr Surat Ram Azad (Independent) filed his nomination from Arki while Mr Dharmender Kumar and Mr Jai Ram Tomar , both Independents, filed nominations from Solan and Kasauli respectively. In Kulu district Mr Khimi Ram (BJP) filed nomination from Bajar Mr Dulo Ram, Kangra district president of the BJP, filed nomination from Baijnath, Mr Kapoor Chand (Independent) filed had nomination from Palampur and Mr Onkar Bharati (Independent) from Dharamsala. Mr Surinder Singh Banolta and Mr Narinder Banolta (Independent) filed their nominations from Pachad in Sirmaur district. |
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Rebels may upset BJP applecart Shimla, February 1 Reports of unrest in the BJP ranks is pouring in from across the state. The situation is the worst in Sirmaur district, where the rebels, led by Ms Shyama Sharma, have decided to contest from all five seats. Ms Sharma, will contest from Nahan. The situation is no better in Kulu district, where the rebels will contest from two of the three seats. Mr Gobind Thakur and Mr Khub Ram, who have been denied ticket, have declared their intentions to contest from Kulu and Ani, respectively. Similarly, in Solan district , Mr Mohinder Sofat, who has been organising “mitra milans” for the past more than a year, will contest from Solan and Mr Nagin Chand Pal or Mr Om Prakash from Arki. There has been a revolt in Lahaul-Spiti, where the ticket has been allotted to Mr Yuvraj. The rebels led by Colonel Dogia are holding consultations to field a candidate. The rebels are set to queer the pitch in Hamirpur district, where Mr Narinder Thakur, son of party stalwart Jagdev Chand, has decided enter the fray from Hamirpur and consultations are on to field a candidate from Nadaun. In Kangra district, Mr Vidya Sagar, a former minister, has quit the party and has decided to contest from Kangra. Mr Kamal Padha, who has been organising “mitra milans”, is likely to contest from Shahpur, Mr Navin Kumar from Pragpur (reserved) and Mr Santosh Sharma from Thural. Similarly, Mr Kehar Singh in set to enter the fray as a rebel from Chintpurni in Una district. Mr Ram Dass Malanger or Mr Des Raj Sharma will contest from Kutlehar. In Chamba district, Capt Bhupinder Singh is set to contest from Bhatiyat. |
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Cong to expose ‘Mr clean’ Shimla, February 1 Unfolding the party's election strategy here today, AICC spokesman Anand Sharma said that the party would come out with documentary evidence of corruption and sleaze involving the highest in the government everyday and the "Mr clean" would soon become an object of ridicule in the eyes of the electorate. He said the Congress offensive would come anytime and "you would see Mr Dhumal in the dock within 72 hours". The five years of BJP rule was an unmitigated disaster. While corruption was
institutionalised, recruitment to government jobs virtually became a lucrative business and the selection process was thoroughly politicised. The congress would soon provide evidence to expose the party with a difference on these counts. He said the BJP's plan to make development and national security as the main planks would fall flat on its face as these were on a very shallow foundation. The security environment had deteriorated during the NDA rule as evident from the terrorist attacks on temples, the Parliament House, the Red Fort and even the army camps. It was a pity that even the families of army jawans were not safe under the BJP rule. The Kalu Chak attack was not an isolated incident on army camps were being targeted all over Jammu and Kashmir. The menace of terrorism which was earlier confined to the Kashmir valley had not only engulfed the Jammu region but also spread its tentacles in the rest of the country. The BJP had during the last election promised to eradicate hunger, fear and corruption but failed on all three counts. While corruption had become rampant, there was terror and insecurity everywhere. Having failed to fulfil its promises the party was busy organising "yatras" to hoodwink the electorate. Such gimmicks would not take the BJP anywhere as people were too wise to be misled, the AICC spokesman said. The Congress spokesman said the Congress would set up four main offices to manage the campaign. These would be located at Shimla, Dharamsala, Una and Mandi. While Congress President Sonia Gandhi would be the main campaigner, chief minister's of Congress ruled state, including Captain Amarinder Singh, Mr Digvijay Singh, Mrs Shiela Dikshit and Mr N.D. Tiwari, would also address election meetings along with central leaders. He said the press reports regarding the tempering of the list of candidates had been blown out of proportions. There were only some topographical mistakes which were corrected well in time. The candidates were selected by a committee comprising central leaders like Mr R.K. Dhawan, Mrs Ambika Soni and Mr Buta Singh and as such there was no room for manipulation. |
STATE OF PARTIES CONGRESS Prabhjot Singh Tribune News Service IF leaders and workers of the Himachal Congress are able to display and maintain unity of hearts and thoughts for at least the next four weeks, it would certainly help in brightening their chances of replacing the Bharatiya Janata Party as the ruling party of the state. Riding an anti-incumbency wave, all the Congress needs to do to regain power in this tiny hilly state, which it incidentally has ruled longer than any of its political opponents — be it the Janata Party, the Jana Sangh or the Bharatiya Janata Party — is to rise above factionalism and give party ticket to "winnable" candidates, irrespective of their loyalities to one group or the other. There is no denying the fact that on the eve of the February 26 assembly elections, factionalism must be worrying both the BJP and the Congress. Though the Congress has been successful in "displaying unity publically with three-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh rubbing shoulders with former Speaker and current Himachal Congress chief Vidya Stokes", distribution of party ticket may hold the key to sustainability of this unity which started with a public rally at Solan on January 17. The Congress has an impressive track record in Himachal with Mr Yashwant Singh Parmar as its first Chief Minister of the state. Described as "founder of Himachal Pradesh", he is still remembered for setting the ball in motion for allround development of the State. Besides, Dr Parmar, Mr Ram Lal and Mr Virbhadra Singh have been other Congress Chief Ministers for varying periods of
time. The Congress rule in Himachal was broken for the first time in 1977, when during "JP wave", a Janta Party government headed by Mr Shanta Kumar wrested power. It may be a mere coincidence that with the exception of the present incumbent, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, no other Chief Minister has occupied office less than two times. Both Dr Y.S. Parmar and Thakur Ram Lal of the Congress and Mr Shanta Kumar — the first Janta Party and then the BJP had headed the government twice each. Mr Virbhadra Singh has the distinction of becoming the Chief Minister three times. In 1980 the Congress was back in power with the support from some Independents with Mr Ram Lal as the Chief Minister after no party got a clear majority. The Congress had got 31 seats and the BJP 29 with eight Independents getting into the Vidhan Sabha. It was, indeed, a mere coincidence that in 1998 again, the same story was repeated. The only difference was that this time inspite of 31 seats, the Congress could not form the government. Instead , the BJP got support from four HVC legislators to form the government. Midway of the 1980 term, Mr Virbhadra Singh took over reigns from Mr Ram Lal and led the party to a comfortable two-third majority win in the 1985 elections. In 1990, it was the BJP that displaced the Congress and unfortunately like the previous non-Congress government of 1977, could not complete its full term in office. In the mid-term polls in 1993 the Congress again wrested back the power. Another interesting coincidence has been like that of Punjab. It is for the first time that the present BJP-HVC government in Himachal has become the first non-Congress government to complete a full term in
office. In Punjab, the last SAD-BJP government headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal also achieved the same distinction. In Himachal, like the rest of the Congress-ruled states, factionalism started raising its head seriously in 80s with the emergence of Mr Virbhadra Singh as the second centre of power besides the then leader Thakur Ram Lal. The Himachal Congress lost two of its stalwarts — Thakur Ram Lal and Mr Jai Bihari Lal Khachi — recently. It was in the 80s that other leaders that emerged on the state scenario in general and the Congress in particular were Mr Sat Mahajan, Mr Sukh Ram, Mrs Vidya Stokes, and Mr Jai Bihari Lal Khachi. Mr Sukh Ram, however, had to part company with the Congress after the "telecom scam" and floated his own party, the Himachal Vikas Congress, which contested the 1998 elections independently. It was in 1977 and then again in 1990 that the Congress failed to get into double figures. In 1977 it won nine seats and in 1990 eight. Otherwise it has been comfortably polling about or above 43 % of the total votes polled in almost all the assembly elections. In 1985, this percentage touched a record 55.46 per cent as the party recorded its highest tally of 58 seats in a house of 68. Only twice , the votes polled percentage fell below 40 was in 1977 and again in 1990. In 1990, it was 35 per cent. Another redeeming feature of the Congress has been that it has always contested the State elections single-handedly. As such, its reluctance to enter into any poll alliance with Sukh Ram's Himachal Vikas Congress is understandable. |
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Official machinery
being misused: Pathania Hamirpur, February 1 |
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Sukh Ram can’t contest poll: morcha Mandi, February 1 Talking to mediapersons here today he said the applications of candidates both of the Congress and the BJP, who had been denied the ticket due to factionalism in the respective parties, would be considered by the morcha. The morcha leader lambasted Mr Sukh Ram for misleading the people of Himachal by projecting himself as the future Chief Minister despite the fact that he very well knew that he was not eligible to contest the election after having been sentenced for three years’ imprisonment by the court of Mr
V. K. Jain, Special Judge, in a corruption case. |
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34 gm of brown sugar seized Kulu, February 1 Chuni Lal son of Man Dass of Old Manali was arrested when a police party headed by Arvind Digvijay Negi raided the house of the accused and found 30 gm of brown sugar concealed in a toothpaste packing, from a cowshed. Police sources revealed that Chuni Lal was the kingpin in the supply of brown sugar in this district. In yet another case, Shyam Kumar of Ramshila, Kulu, was also nabbed by the police when he was coming back from Manali and 4.4 gm of brown sugar was seized from him. His accomplice Duni Chand was also detained by the police. Two separate cases under the NDPS Act have been registered. |
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Army recruitment rally from Feb 4 Dharamsala, February 1 The Recruitment Officer, Col K.N. Jha, said the recruitment will be for soldiers (GD) and a candidate who is between the 16-21 age group and has obtained 45 per cent marks in matriculation examination will be eligible. Gurkha youths, who have passed middle standard, are also eligible for recruitment. Only bona fide Himachalis can take part in the recruitment rally. Colonel Jha said desirous youths should bring their caste, community, education and birth certificates in original with two photocopies and also latest passport size photograph. |
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274 polling stations sensitive Advani to address rally on Feb 12 Carrying of firearms banned Two quit BJP on ticket issue Poly-based publicity material Narkanda BDC chief joins Cong Four resign from BJP |
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