Nagrota Bagwan, October 25
General secretary of the All-India Congress Committtee (AICC) and in charge of the party affairs of the state R.K. Dhawan, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, state party president Viplove Thakur, ministers Sat Mahajan, Sujan Singh Pathania and many MLAs of the ruling party have violated the model code of conduct of the elections by using red lights atop their vehicles when they came to participate in an election campaign rally of the Congress at Nagrota Bagwan, today.

The model code of conduct of the elections had come into force after the announcement of the state Assembly election on October 10 by the Election Commission of India.

The numbers of these cars/jeeps were PB-11S-0035, DL-2FBS-0023, HP-40B-0004, HP-36B-0009 and HP-38B-0001.

The CM Virbhadra Singh and two Cabinet ministers Sat Mahajan, Sujan Singh Pathania came on Scorpio jeep bearing number HP-38B0001, RK Dhawan came on a car bearing the number HP-36B-0009 and Viplove Thakur on a car bearing number HP-40B-0004.

The district authorities had so far issued many notices to various political parties, including the BSP for violation of the poll code since the model code of conduct had come into force but no action was taken against any of the violators so far.

During the rally, the people were also seen holding plastic flags of the Congress. When contacted, Kangra DM Ashwani Kapoor said the SDM was deployed there on duty to keep an eye on the rally and a video recording of the rally was done by him.

“The district administration after viewing the video recording will send a detailed report in this regard to the Election Commission, through the Chief Electoral Officer of the state for necessary action”, the DM added.

Keylong, October 25
With the three main contenders for the tribal Assembly seats gearing up their supporters and voters the Congress and the BJP candidates today filed in their nomination papers at the office of the district returning officer and DC A.S. Rathaur. The third candidate from the BSP Dr Bir Singh Rawal would file in his nomination papers on October 27, the last date for filing in nomination papers.

The supporters of both candidates Phunchog Rai from the Congress and Ramlal Markanda from the BJP today held rallies after filing their nominations, thus kicking off the poll campaign in the tribal constituency.

Both parties will face dissidence in the poll billed for the November 14 as the disgruntled leaders from both the BJP and the Congress may resort to “undercutting in their area of influence” and that could help the BSP, party insiders said.

Though the sitting Congress MLA Raghuvir Singh Thakur, who looked visibly unhappy accompanied Rai here today along with district Congress president Norbu and sevadal organising secretary T.D. Bodh and other supporters, but other two main contenders for the party tickets A.N. Vidyarthi, the retired chief secretary of the HP government from Pattan valley and Ravi Thakur, son of late Congress leader Lata Thakur were conspicuous by their absence here.

Similarly, the BJP candidate Ramlal Markanda faces dissidence from his party rivals. “Yuvraj Bodh, who was a contender for the ticket was present here. Mohal Lal Ralingpa, Pattan valley, main base of the BJP, Rigzin who is also Markanda’s rival from the Buddhist dominated Tod valley, the resignation of Sohan Lal yesterday from Spiti, another weak area of the BJP, all are worrying factors for the BJP here this time, the party workers said.

Rawal, has started gearing up his fan club, family and relatives both from outside and inside the district though he faces an uphill task, but he can damage the Congress more than the BJP voters here said.

Rawal, who would be filing his paper on October 27, here, faces uphill task as his name was only declared yesterday at a meeting at Bilaspur by general secretary Man Singh Manahra and BSP Chief Ministerial candidate Maj V.S. Mankotia. The dissidence from the BJP and the Congress may support him, some of the voters here said.

Shimla, October 25
The supporters of animal husbandry minister Harsh Mahajan, who announced his decision not to contest the elections, yeaterday arrived here in large numbers from Chamba and persuaded him to change his mind.

The supporters led by HPCC member Pt Lakshmi Dhar and Chamba block president Parmseh Puri later met Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and requested him to urge Mahajan to contest the poll.

An emotional Mahajan told his supporters that he respected their sentiments but he was not keen to contest the poll due to health and other personal problems. But his supporters refused to budge until Mahajan announced that he would contest the Assembly election scheduled for December 19.

He said since a majority of his supporters from Chamba were unable to make it to Shimla, he would announce his final decision at Chamba.

Mahajan will meet his electorate and other district party leaders at Chamba on October 29.

It is learnt that Mahajan had a meeting with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh two days back and the Chief Minister is learnt to have told him not to be bowed down by personal problems and that he was the best candidate.

Mahajan had stunned everyone by announcing that he would not contest the Assembly poll from Chamba because of some personal reasons.

In a letter written to the people of Chamba on October 13, he said he had taken the decision due to personal reasons.

Shimla, October 25
Over 10,000 voters, who have their names registered in the electoral rolls at two places, will be able to cast their vote only at one place as their names will be struck off at the other place.

The State Election Commission has directed all deputy commissioners, who are district returning officers, to start the exercise for identifying such voters. Chief electoral officer Manisha Nanda has directed that the option be taken from such people as to at which place they would like their name to be in the voting list.

It is learnt that the number of such voters in the Lahaul-Spiti constituency was about 6,000. These people have their names both in their native place in Lahaul-Spiti as well as at Manali, Kullu, Bhuntar and other parts of the state. A large number of people from Lahaul-Spiti are permanently settled at these places.

As far as the Kinnaur tribal seat is concerned, the number of such voters is 2,500 and the people have their names both in the villages and at Rampur and Shimla.

The number of voters from the Bharmour seat who have their names both in the village and at Chamba and other places is over 2,000. All these people will have to give their options so that their names can be struck off at one place to avoid doubling. The pattern will also be followed for the remaining 65 constituencies where the polling will be held on December 19.

Una, October 25
State Congress in charge R.K. Dhawan has said options were open for the leadership of the Congress Legislature Party in the state. He was speaking to the media here at Una today while on the way to address a rally at Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra district and launch the election campaign in the state.

He said that usually elected MLA’s consent for leadership was taken and ultimately the Congress high command decided the leadership issue as per the elected members of the Vidhan Sabha. He said there was no dispute of leadership as far as the Congress was concerned in the state.

He said the Vidhan Sabha elections would be fought jointly under the banner of the Congress. Main issue in the forthcoming elections would be large-scale development taken place under able leadership of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh during the past five years. 

Balag (Hamirpur) October 25
Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal virtually launched the BJP election campaign by launching a scathing attack on the Congress government at Balag under the Mewa Assembly constituency in Hamirpur district today.

Addressing a Dalit conference, he said, “The Congress government has lost its mental balance and thus making adverse decisions and the Chief Minister is seeking three months from the Election Commission to carry forward the development works.”

He said it was strange that the Chief Minister, who ran the government for more than four years, was pleading for three-month time to show the development carried out by his government to people of the state.

He said the present government had failed on all fronts.

Shimla, October 25
The historic edifice of Barnes Court, the oldest surviving heritage building of the British era completed 175 years of its existence today.

Currently housing the Raj Bhawan, the timber-framed structure is a fine specimen of the colonial architecture. Kennedy House, the first permanent structure to come up in the hill station was gutted in 1981.

The occasion was marked by an impressive function at which a commemorative special cover was released by the postal department. The function was presided over by Governor V.S. Kokje. The Public Works Department undertook major repair and renovation work over the past one year to help restore the original glory of the elegant building.

Kokje said it was important to preserve the structure with which history was associated. In the post-Independence era, the Shimla Agreement between India and Pakistan was singed here. He said the special postal cover released today was a prelude and a postal stamp will be issued shortly.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said the erstwhile British summer capital had a large number of historical buildings that needed to be preserved. The government planned to take up the restoration of these structures in a phased manner. The work to restore Gaiety Theatre was nearing completion.

Former Governor of the state V.S. Rama Devi had specially come form Hyderabad to attend the function. 

Shimla, October 25
In view of around 2,500 vacancies in the Himachal Police, there is a plan to request the home department to ask the Uttarakhand police to provide eight companies for maintenance of law and order during the second phase of polling on December 19.

IG, law and order, S.R. Mardi today wrote to the principal secretary, home, that the issue of providing forces for ensuring peaceful elections be taken up with the police force of the neighbouring state.

He has pointed out in his letter that since there are more than 2,482 vacancies of various ranks in the Himachal Police, additional forces would be required for maintenance of law and order and security deployment during the run-up to the elections. 

Shimla, October 25
All FIRs registered in the 40 computerised police stations of the state on a single given day would be made available on the police portal through the Internet for the convenience of the public.

Interacting with mediapersons here today, IG (Headquarter) Kamal Kumar said the facility of registering FIR through the Internet had already been made available to the people of the state. “People will now be able to track the FIRs as they can now be accessed through the net as they will be made online shortly,” he disclosed.