Shimla, December 9
Raising the minimum daily wage to Rs 125, free power to farmers, regularisation of encroachments of landless and houseless poor, special plan to protect crops from animals and setting up of a trans-Himalayan authority for integrated and sustainable development of the Himalayan region are among the plethora of promises made by the Lok Janshakti Party, which is contesting 39 seats in the assembly poll.

Giving priority to environmental concerns in the ecologically fragile hill state the party has promised to strictly enforce the Environment Protection Act and curb illegal mining and unscientific exploitation of natural resources. It will also come out with a major afforestation programme to increase green cover in degraded hills and implement a Himalaya policy to preserve natural beauty of the state.

The election manifesto of the party, released by union minister for steel, chemicals and fertilizers Ram Vilas Paswan here today, also promised to carry out a survey of water sources and prepare a plan for storage of surplus water and provide adequate marketing infrastructure for disposal of agricultural produce.

A fruit processing unit will be established in Shimla and a potato-based processing unit at Kangra to ensure remunerative returns to growers.

The party expressed its commitment to promoting pahari and bhoti languages and make efforts to get these included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, lift the ban on grant of timber under TD rules and “nautor” scheme to ensure that land could be provided to the landless.

It also promised free medical care to economically backward people and develop new industrial areas in selected places to help create employment opportunities.

Paswan said the party had not declared its chief ministerial candidate because it was unsure of how many seats it would win. However, it was confident that it would definitely have a role in the formation of a government in the state. 

Dharampur (Mandi), December 9
For residents of this segment, BJP rally, which was supposed to be addressed by party chief Rajnath Singh at 11 am today, turned out to be an ordeal as they waited for four hours before senior BJP leader L.K. Advani finally reached here around 3 pm. He gave a heavy dose on Hindutva and urged voters to make “Himachal like Gujarat by voting out the Congress on December 19”.

Rajnath Singh could not reach here as his helicopter could not take off from New Delhi due to bad weather. So the rally was addressed by Advani who reached here from Chamba.

He defended Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and accused the Congress of spreading “pseudo secularism to appease minorities”. He said provisions like Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir were jeopardising the integrity of country for which Centre was responsible.

He gave example of Modi’s Gujarat claiming the BJP had eradicated corruption there. “People deserve a corruption-free rule and only the BJP can provide it.

He said the Congress-led government at the Centre had denied the existence of Ram Setu, but now it had been proved that it was manmade and a place of worship for the Hindu.

He said for the BJP integrity of country came first and not the democracy and the party had always stood for it. It was BJP leader Shayma Prasad Mukherjee who made the first sacrifice to preserve the integrity of country, he claimed.

He urged voters to vote for Mohinder Singh. He spoke for only 10 minutes and left for Harnoli in Una to address another public meeting there. 

Chamba, December 9
L.K. Advani today castigated the ruling Congress-led UPA government for its alleged failure to curb terrorism. He was addressing an election rally at Police Ground here.

He said the Congress government, which was describing Narendra Modi as ‘maut ka saudagar’, was itself a ‘maut ka saudagar’ because it had failed to provide security to the masses.

Inflation was the second most important issue in the Assembly elections in Himachal and Gujarat, he said. He eulogised the previous NDA-led government for deftly handling a similar situation.

Corruption was the third major issue, he said.

He said the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation had also affirmed that if there was any honest administration in the country, it was that of Narendra Modi in Gujarat; adding that the second was the Prem Kumar Dhumal’s regime in Himachal.

Describing B.K. Chauhan, a BJP candidate from the Chamba constituency, as the next MLA, he appealed to the public to vote for the BJP.

Earlier, BJP candidate B.K. Chauhan and district president Mohan Lal welcomed Advani. 

Bilaspur, December 9
Despite two senior leaders-- Ram Lal Thakur(Cong) and Jagat Prakash Nadda(BJP)-in the fray from Bilaspur, the district comprising four assembly seats has failed to attract the attention of central leaders who have concentrated on politically significant areas in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur and Shimla.

The campaigning in Bilaspur district has so far seen Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, BJP leader Shanta Kumar campaign in favour of the party candidates. Bilaspur comprises four assembly segments of Bilaspur, Ghumarwin, Geharwin and Kot-Kehloor.

Unlike the BJP, the Congress managed to placate its rebel and former minister, Kashmir Singh in Geharwin, who withdrew from the contest after filing his nomination. On the other hand, the BJP rebels in Bilaspur and Ghumarwin could damage the party candidates’ prospects to some extent.

Forest minister Ram Lal Thakur who has unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election on three occasions in 1998, 2004 and 2007 is trying his luck once again from Kot-Kehloor. It is Randhir Sharma of the BJPwho had lost in 2003 by 3,002 votes is once again pitted against him.

Even though Sukh Ram Chauhan, former director, health services, has made his political debut on the BSP ticket he is not likely to cut much ice with the electorate. As such Kot-Kehloor will witness more or less a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress.

There seems to be a keen contest between the two old rivals but it remains to be seen if Ram Lal Thkur will be able to retain his lead of over 7,200 votes he got during the Hamirpur Lok Sabha byelection in June earlier this year.

In the adjoining constituency of Bilaspur, former health minister in the Dhumal regime, J.P. Nadda, is giving a tough fight to Congress MLA Tilak Raj. Nadda, who is known for his political acumen and articulate ways had lost the last election by 2,726 votes. Having remained active at the organisational level right from his student days he has represented the seat in 1993 and 1998.

A BJP rebel and Zila Parishad member from the Kandraur area, Bambar Thakur who is in the fray as an Independent, could make a dent into the BJP votes. Though the BSP has fielded Sri Kant Sharma he is not posing a major threat to any party.

In Geharwin the contest is between Biru Ram Kishore (Cong) who had won as an Independent last time, and BJP nominee Rikhi Ram Kaundal. Dr Kishore who had won by a slender margin of 1,534 votes has the advantage of the traditional Congress votebank but then he has to counter the anti-incumbency factor.

In contrast the introduction of a new face, Rajesh Dharmani from Ghumarwin has made the contest interesting. Armed with the engineering and MBA degrees he was contender last time also but despite being denied the ticket he kept in touch with people.

The BJP has fielded its MLA K.D. Dharmani once again, who had won last time by 3,407 votes. The role of former Congress minister Kashmir Singh, who withdrew from the contest would be significant as he had polled 17,202 votes as the Congress candidate.

As such the contest is keen in all four seats and the rebels would to a great extent decide the fate of the nominees. 

Sirmaur, December 9
The Congress is all set to project eco-sustainability as its main poll plank in the hill state. Preservation and expansion of the state’s forest resources and biodiversity would be a big issue in the state, union minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma told The Tribune on his way to Solan, where he addressed a rally yesterday.

“The state is hardly developed as a tourist destination. Moreover, it continues to suffer from financial crunch. The Congress is ready to make a clear commitment that its policies and programmes in Himachal will be in perfect harmony with the nature,” he said.

He dared the BJP to bring specific cases of corruption to the Congress. “We will take action against the persons concerned, we promise,” he said.

He said the Congress would go to the people with the promise of development. “We have created so many jobs in Himachal. Three lakh employment opportunities have been created: 80,000 of these are in the government sector alone. Around 2.7 lakh jobs have been provided in the private sector. This shows that development has taken place. We need more time to take the state further ahead. In any case, no one has offered financial package to Himachal the way the Congress government at the Centre has done,” he claimed.

He also referred to the tax holiday in the state that would last till 2010. He said the state had attracted industrial investment of around Rs 30,000 crore under the leadership of the Congress. 

Una, December 9
Una district has five assembly constituencies, Una, Santoshgarh, Gagret, Kutlehar and Chintpurni. All these have electorate ranging from 60,000 to 85,000.

In the Una constituency, Virbhadra Singh’s staunch loyalist Varinder Gautam is facing sitting BJP MLA Satpal Satti here. The old warhorse of the Congress is likely to give a tough fight to the BJP candidate. Gautam a relying on his long standing in the area while Satti is relying on his cadre vote and anti-establishment factor against the present government.

The Kutlehar constituency comprises hilly areas of the district along Gobind Sagar. It is the most backward area of the district which is bereft of roads, bridges and irrigation facilities. BJP candidate and sitting MLA Varinder Kanwar is facing Ram Nath of the Congress from here. The BJP has been winning from for here for the past 20 years. While BJP is trying to repeat its dominance in the area, the Congress has put its best bet Ram Nath as he is the only Congress candidate to have won from the area in the early 80’s.

In the Chintpurni and Gagret constituencies, Congress candidates Rakesh Kalia and Kuldeep Kumar are pitted against BJP candidates Narinder Sharma and Balbir Singh. In Gagret, industries minister Kuldeep Kumar is claiming the credit for developing industrial area is the constituency besides other works.

In the Santoshgarh constituency, Mukesh Agnihotri of the Congress seems to have an edge over his main rival Jagroop Singh of the BJP.

Though no women candidate has been pitted by any political party in the district, wives of candidates are playing an important role in trying to influence voters. The youth are part of itinerary of daily campaigning being carried out by the candidates.

The rallies by candidates are limited to corner meeting having gathering of 100 to 200 persons. The door-to-door campaign and corner meetings are the main mantras of campaigning for most of the candidates. 

Dharamsala, December 9
Regional issues dominate amidst the anti-incumbency factor in the district where caste considerations have played a vital role in deciding the fate of political parties as well as the individual candidates.

As electioneering has picked up momentum, the candidates are also coming out with their poll promises for the electorate, but these promises do not seem to be attracting the voters. The people are now more educated, well aware of the situations and political trends.

Caste appears to be the biggest deciding factor as all political parties overriding other major issues have undertaken intricate caste-based permutations and combinations, while allotting the party tickets to their leaders so as to enhance their winning chances.

On an average, the OBC’s and the Rajputs together comprise more than 60 per cent of the total electorate in the district followed by the Dalits, the Brahmins and the Mahajans. The assembly segments of Nagrota Bagwan, Kangra, Jwalamukhi, Guler, Jwali, Sullah and Shahpur have a sizeable OBC population, while there is a sizable section of the Gaddis living in Dharamsala, Baijnath and the Palampur assembly segments.

The anti-incumbency factor seems to prevail in the rural as well as the urban areas. This is going against the Congress in majority of the constituencies. The only hope for the Congress lies on the personal stature of few candidates and the prevailing infighting within the BJP in some constituencies.

A cross-section of voters feel that development works carried out by the state government are not dominating the electioneering scene in the district except for a couple of constituencies.

Dissatisfaction with the performance of the Union as well as the state governments appears to be quite widespread, particularly on the issues of price rise of essential commodities, poor condition of roads, widespread corruption, unemployment and regional disparity.

Another main factor that both the BJP as well as the Congress have used to the hilt against each other during the past is the sensitive issue of regional discrimination. This issue has now been hijacked by the BSP.

The Congress has to its credit the setting-up of a vidhan sabha complex here. The BJP seems to be on the back foot as it has not promised in its manifesto to make Dharamsala as the winter capital.

The carving out of new districts from Kangra has also emerged as the key election issue in the areas of Palampur, Dehra and Nurpur, as the people of these areas have long been demanding formation of new districts in view of the demography and population of these areas.

Among other issues most likely to affect the calculations of both the Congress as well as the BJP is corruption. The release of the CD at the time of Hamirpur Lok Sabha election by BSP leader Major Vijay Singh Mankotia allegedly containing the voice of the Chief Minister and his wife related to monetary exchanges still echo in these assembly elections.

The BJP and BSP leaders are specifically mentioning the name of Virbhadra and his wife, Pratibha Singh, in their speeches at election rallies alleging corruption has been patronised by them in the state.

On the other hand, the Congress leaders do not forget to mention few scams unearthed during the last tenure of the BJP government while the BSP leaders are trying to downplay both parties saying that they were two sides of the same coin. 

Solan, December 9
With the Congress granting its party ticket to a new face Prakash Karad, son of a former employee of PMO office, winning this seat has become a prestige issue for the party. The seat which has remained a Congress bastion with deputy speaker Dharam Pal Thakur winning on three consecutive occasions has now tilted in favour of the BJP with the Congress facing a rebel in the form of Thakur.

Having changed the ticket despite resentment among a section of partymen, the Congress is now diverting extra energy in retaining this seat. Not only has this constituency become the first where observers have been sent by the Congress state in charge R. K.Dhawan, but a team of nearly 36 youth Congress activists from Punjab are going from door-to-door seeking support for Karad.

With the Congress facing a direct division in its votes, BJP candidate Govind Ram, who had lost by a slender margin of less than 1,100 votes last time, appears to be in a comfortable position to wrest the seat. It is however, the caste politics, which is being used to its hilt by each candidate.

The constituency has an almost equal share of SC, Rajputs and Brahmins with their percentage varying between 0.5 to 2 per cent. The three major candidate Prakash Karad, Dharam Pal Thakur and Govind Ram Sharma are working hard to cash in on their community votes.

However, with the BSP fielding Gomti Devi, a SC candidate and a sitting zila parishad member, a fair share of the SC votes can be tilted in her favour and she could play a spoil sport for Karad.

Though Thakur managed to muster support for himself initially when he was denied a ticket but his expulsion from the party has disillusioned the Congress cadres. They were now forced to toe the party line and support Karad or face expulsion.

Vijay Inder Singh, Punjab youth Congress president, who was assigned to work for Karad, opined that though the going was tough for the Congress but the youth were being motivated to support a new face.

Being close to the Congress high command, Karad had the capability of getting funds for the overall development of the region.

The BJP on the other hand had clearly added this seat to their kitty and they were hopeful of making good of the rebellion in the Congress cadres.

The CPI and the CPM have also fielded two candidates, who would manage to gain some votes along with four other Independents. 

Shimla, December 9
The CPM is against the policy of economic liberalisation and reforms being pursued by the Congress and the BJP that make the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act a main hurdle in creating jobs for youth in hill states like Himachal Pradesh.

Senior party leader Tikender Singh said the Act had limited the budget deficit to 2 per cent which was not a very bright idea as priorities were more important in government spending.

He said instead of encouraging private institutions the government should set up universities in the public sector. He said Himachal Pradesh University should be converted into a central university instead of setting up a new institution which would take a long time to come up.

He lamented that while private institutions were being allowed in all sectors, the government had not put in place any mechanism to regulate the fee structure as a result of which students were being fleeced. Further, the quality of education was also going down as most of the private institutions lacked requisite staff and other facilities.

Industrialisation was not helping the cause of the unemployed as the manpower available in the state was not in demand in industries. The state was virtually witnessing a jobless growth, leading to more unemployment.

The government had made no effort to promote the IT industry for which the Shimla region suited the most.  

Mandi, December 9
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today claimed the Congress government had made over 50,000 daily wagers eligible for pension, gave benefits to employees and linked remote villages in the Chauhar valley with Mandi district.

Addressing three public meetings at Sudhar (Drang), Chauntra (Jogindernagar) and Lambathach (Chachiot), he wound up his three-day campaign in Mandi district today.

He claimed Kaul Singh Thakur, Congress candidate from Drang, would register a landslide victory. At Sudhar, he said remote villages in Chauhar valley had been linked to district headquarters by road network.

He said: “The BJP government was anti-employees and anti-farmers as Shanta Kumar had started “no work, no pay” for employees. On the other hand, the Congress government has regularised over 50,000 daily wagers, making them eligible for pension.

At Chachiot, he said: “I have been coming here regularly and have walked on foot in the segment when I was an MP. BJP MLA Jai Ram Thakur never took up any development work here”.

He claimed the Chachiot Congress was united to ensure the victory of Shiv Lal. IPH minister Kaul Singh Thakur also spoke on the occasion.

Shimla, December 9
Ridiculing the BJP for urging the Election Commission to derecognise the Congress, PCC general secretary Kuldeep Rathore said the party stood by the statement of minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma linking the BJP with Nathu Ram Godse.

Addressing a press conference here today he took BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to task for raising a hue and cry over the issue and said that the BJP had never condemned the murder of Mahatma Gandhi. The ideology the BJP professed was known to all and it could not shy away from accepting its links with Godse.

He said Naqvi and other leaders were demanding de-recognition of the Congress on every trivial issue conveniently forgetting that Gujarat was also going to the polls and the man leading the BJP there had been held responsible for the massacre of Muslims. If a party deserved to be derecognised it was the BJP which was still defending Narendra Modi. He said instead of defending Modi, BJP leaders like Naqvi should go to some “dargah” and atone for the sins committed by him.

Referring to the direction of the Election Commission regarding the use of state helicopter in violation of the code of conduct he said Rs 8.97 lakh had been deposited by the Chief Minister with the General Administration Department on October 15 for its use. In fact, the Chief Minister filed his nominations papers after the amount had been paid.