Shimla, May 7
The ruling BJP and the Congress have locked horns over the holding of election rallies of their star campaigners Rahul Gandhi and Narender Modi at the same venue in Kullu on May 11 as the Congress today dragged the issue to court even as the district administration today cancelled the permission granted to the BJP for Gujarat chief minister’s rally.

Perturbed over the rejection of the permission granted to it for holding of rally of Narinder Modi at Kullu on May 11, the BJP has made up its mind to lodge its protest before the Election Commission of India (ECI). “The ECI is acting in a partisan manner as it pressured the district administration to cancel the permission granted to the BJP despite the fact that Modi will arrive after Rahul’s rally is over at 2.30 p.m,” said state BJP secretary H.N. Kashyap.

He said the rejection of the permission granted earlier by DC Kullu, M. Sudha Devi who is also the returning officer was wrong as all political parties must be allowed to hold rallies, especially when both the leaders are placed under Z plus security cover.

Meanwhile, the Congress which had already complained to the ECI on May 5 about a possible clash between the workers of the two parties today moved court over the matter. “We are not willing to take any chances on the issue as the BJP which has been pushed on the back foot is deliberately creating a situation where the possibility of a clash is very high,” said Kuldeep Rathore, HPCC spokesperson. He said it is for this reason that the Congress had moved the court so that a situation of confrontation could be avoided.

It is reliably learnt that there are indications that the District Returning Officer (DRO) could cancel the permission granted to the BJP for holding the rally of Gujarat chief minister Narinder Modi in Kullu. “The ECI is being pressured by the Congress to get the permission given to the BJP cancelled whereas its guidelines clearly state that there should be no monopoly of any one political party with regard to any election venue,” said Rakesh Jamwal, state president of the Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha.

Sources said even as a decision by the DRO on the matter was pending, the BJP is exploring the possibility of holding the rally at another venue, possibly at Bhuntar. However, the ruling party had decided to make it an issue and accuse the Congress of using the ECI to target its political opponents.

Shimla, May 7
Chief organiser of the All-India Congress Sewa Dal Mohinder Joshi today said that the strategy of the BJP leader L.K.Advani to launch a personal attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had proved counter-productive as the people of the country had deep regard for renowned economist who had proved his mettle to the world at large.

Addressing a press conference here he said the people had not relished the undignified and intemperate language used by the BJP leaders. However, it was not surprising as with no potent issues at hand the party had no option but to indulge in personal attack to divert attention from the achievement of the UPA regime. However, it would be made to pay by the people for the indiscretions of their leaders.

In contrast Manmohan Singh and other Congress leaders had reacted with restraint and responded to the BJP criticism in a sober and dignified way. Having fulfilled 98 per cent of the poll promises the Congress had enough achievements to show to the people and it did not require the props of personal attacks to keep afloat in the electoral arena.

It was this confidence which prompted the party to go it alone in the elections in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The fortunes of the party which had not been in the political reckoning in these two major states for the past about two decades was in for a turn around. The election results would certainly reflect the change.

He said during interaction with a cross-section of people in the state over the past two days he was convinced that the Congress was in strong position in the state. Its victory was already sealed in three constituencies and it was on way to win the fourth seat too. 

Shimla, May 7
The BJP today said Congress cadres in the state were waging a losing battle as the top leadership of the party was busy fighting itself rather than taking on its political opponents.

Addressing a press conference here today former sate BJP chief and local MLA, Suresh Bhardwaj said the Congress leaders were engaged in a battle for supremacy so that they could lead the state in the next elections. “The lackluster and issueless Congress campaign is a clear indication of the fact that the BJP is set to win all the four Lok Sabha seats,” he said.

Bhardwaj said what was most surprising is the fact that the Congress was seeking votes in Hamirpur not in the name of Sonia Gandhi or Dr Manmohan Singh but in the name of former Jan Sangh leader, Jagdev Chand. “The fact that votes are being sought in the name of a former Jan Sangh leader is an indication of the leaderless and issueless campaign by the Congress party,” he said.

The BJP leader also took on the Congress for dilly-dallying on the issue of charge sheet against the Dhumal regime. “The Congress which failed to release the document on completion of one year of BJP regime is now wanting to get political mileage by coming out with a document which would be nothing more than a bundle of lies,” he said.

He said the charge sheet is a last ditch effort by the Congress to mislead the electorate and sway the votes in its favour. “The BJP charge sheet had concrete evidence and allegations against the Congress leaders and the document is now under the vigilance scanner so that truth comes out and the guilty are punished for their acts of omission and commission, “ he remarked.

He said it was on the basis of the one-year performance of the BJP regime that the electorate will ensure the victory of the BJP on all four seats. 

Nurpur, May 7
Union Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma has asserted that the Congress was committed to pass on the fruits of economic development to every person in the country.

Addressing an election meeting in support of Congress candidate for the Kangra parliamentary constituency Chander Kumar at Jassur here today, he said the UPA government at the Centre had given a successful, transparent and honest government.

“People have been given the right to information under the RTI Act while the Bharat Nirman Yojna has expedited the pace of development in the country,” he said. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had saved the country from global recession that had badly hit even the developed countries like the USA and the UK. “As a sequel, our country attained the second position in economic growth at the world level,” he claimed.

He lambasted the BJP for allegedly playing gimmicks at the time of Lok Sabha elections and resorting to personal attacks on the Prime Minister by terming him a weak Prime Minister. “Such gimmicks will not help them. People will vote for the UPA as its government at the Centre has proved its credibility through its strong policies and decisions over the past five years,” he said.

Ridiculing the BJP slogan of “strong leader and decisive government”, he said why hardcore terrorists were released at Kandhar during the NDA government when LK Advani was the Home Minister. Terrorist attacks on the Red Fort, Parliament and various temples were proof of the weakness and indecisiveness of the then government, he added.

He said only the Congress could give a strong and stable government, whereas the BJP’s ideology was to divide society on the basis of caste and religion. The UPA government had given a number of development projects to Himachal Pradesh, he claimed. He asked people to vote for Congress candidates in the state.

Earlier, Sharma was given a rousing reception by Congress workers on reaching here.

Shimla, May 7
The visits of the star campaigners like Rahul Gandhi scheduled for the final phase of electioneering apart, the Congress candidates are banking more on the charisma of their trusted leader Virbhadra Singh who has been forced to come out of his Mandi constituency to canvass for them.

The party’s campaign had failed to gather momentum, particularly in the Shimla seat, as the five-time chief minister who is contesting from the Mandi seat had been busy with his own campaign in one of largest constituencies of the country which also encompasses far-flung tribal areas. The candidates from the other three constituencies have been sending SoS to the party for organising election tours of Virbhadra Singh in their areas. While the Congress stalwart was willing to spare time to campaign in other constituencies, he did not have a helicopter to fly to distance places.

Under pressure from the candidates the party finally arranged a helicopter and Virbhadra Singh infused life in the party’s campaign in Shimla seat by addressing a series of rallies in Rohru, Nerwa, Shilai, Dadahu and Paonta Sahib yesterday. He followed it up with a visit to Kangra constituency today during which he addressed election meetings at Cherdi, Ichchhi, Sulah and Baijnath.

His visit could make a difference in Hamirpur where Congress candidate Narinder Thakur is pitted against Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal’s son Anurag Thakur but all will depend on whether or not he is able to spare time.

The party has been facing problems in organising a campaign in Shimla as its soldier-turned-politician candidate Dhani Ram Shandil has not risen from party ranks. He was pushed into electoral arena by former telecom minister Sukh Ram in 1999 when the BJP left the seat for its alliance partner, the Himachal Vikas Congress.

Despite Shimla being a traditional stronghold of the Congress a well-organised campaign is essential to reach the winning post. There is still a week to go for polls and it remains to be seen whether or not the party is able to maintain the momentum provided by Virbhadra Singh. 

Hamirpur, May 7
Congress candidate Narinder Thakur has said the Congress will win the election on the strength of people although the BJP has been trying to use money power to win the electoral battle.

Addressing election meetings at Bani, Dandadu, Dabrial, Bijahdi and few other places in the Badsar assembly segment today, he said, “The BJP has dhanbal (money power) but we have janbal (people’s power) and the Congress will win this election with janbal.”

He said, “Dhumal is deeply affected by putramoh (love for the son) and now his politics revolves around that issue only and everybody else in the government and the BJP is feeling the heat of that politics.”

Talking about the achievements of the UPA government at the Centre, he said, “The NREGA has come as a big relief for rural people in providing employment to them.”

Taking a dig at Dhumal, he said, “Sensing defeat in the elections, he is now remembering my father late Jagdev Chand Thakur, 16 years after his death. But, people cannot be befooled by such tactics.”

District Congress president Sunil Sharma and other leaders also addressed these meetings.

Bilaspur, May 7
The BJP is the only party which has given several benefits to women in the state which no other government even thought of. This was stated by BJP candidate and MP Anurag Thakur today while addressing a series of election meetings in the Ghumarwin constituency, including village centres of Salahon, Hatwaad, Kothi, Bharadi, Dehalwin, Dangaar, Kapahada, Badha Ghat, Mehran, Sempa, Palsoti and Ghumarwin town.

He said women have been given 50 per cent representation in all panchayati raj elections, including local bodies, apart from giving them benefit of holidays and free travel in the HRTC buses on Bhaiya Dooj and Raksha Bandhan. He said the moment the BJP comes to power at the Centre, women would get 33 per cent reservations in services and educational institutes of the country.

The Congress-led central government could not provide security to 200 cricket players and the IPL went to South Africa. While the country lost thousands of crores of rupees, our poor hill state lost at least Rs 350 crore as four matches were scheduled to be played in the state.

Anurag said the BJP is committed to provide better employment opportunities to ex-servicemen after their retirement while old farmers’ pension scheme would be introduced to save them from financial difficulties.

Kangra, May 7
Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was all fire against the Dhumal government for its alleged vindictive attitude towards its political opponents. The state government had reportedly given a go-ahead to the state Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau to register an FIR in the controversial audio CD case, which had the voice of Virbhadra Singh. Former minister Vijay Singh Mankotia had released this audio CD.

Virbhadra Singh was talking to The Tribune here today after he addressed a public meeting at Kholi village on the outskirts of the town. He said, “Let the BJP government go to hell. I am not bothered about it and let it do whatever it was wants to do.

He said, “It is an attempt to intimidate me and my party workers despite the fact that I have done nothing wrong. As the poll date was coming nearer the BJP was apprehensive of losing the polls and has started harassing him and his party workers as a part of political vendetta launched by the government.”

He said, “We cannot be intimidated by such moves of the government as we have done nothing wrong and will face the situation.”

Earlier, he addressed a public gathering at Kholi village and highlighted the achievements of the UPA government. 

Shimla, May 7
Acceding to the police request, the Sessions Court, Solan, today granted approval for conducting narco test on suspended ADGP BS Thind in connection with an extortion case lodged against him by a Parwanoo-based businessman.

With the court giving the go-ahead for the narco test, the controversial police officer will become the first officer from the state to undergo the test for baring the truth with regard to his involvement in the Parwanoo CD case. Thind was placed under suspension after the filing of charges against him by the CBI with regard to certain land transactions in Punjab.

DSP, Parwanoo, Ramesh Pathania confirmed that permission had been granted by the court for the narco test of Thind. He said he had got in touch with the Forensic Science Laboratory, Ahmedabad, to seek dates for the test. “As soon as the lab authorities give a date for the test, we will get in touch with Thind so that he can be taken to Gujarat for the test,” said Pathania.

Mittal had alleged that he had paid Rs 6 lakh to the IPS officer for getting his commercial premises vacated, which was in possession of his brother. It was on his complaint that a case for alleged cheating and extortion was registered against Thind.

The matter came up for hearing in the Session Court, Solan, on April 13. The matter again came up for hearing on April 17 and Thind expressed reluctance to undergo the test saying it was not required as he had been cooperating with the police in the probe.

The final arguments in the case were held on May 2 and the court finally allowed the police to get the test done.

Thind has also been in the news lately for filing a complaint against Chief Minister PK Dhumal and three other fellow IPS officers before the Lokayukta. His name had figured prominently in the BJP charge sheet, which is under the scanner of the Vigilance Bureau.