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Key constituencies:
Shimla Rural
Six royal scions in poll fray
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Manifesto
released
From
left: Kaul Singh Thakur, Anand Sharma, Birender Singh, Virbhadra Singh, Sheila Dikshit and Vidya Stokes release the Congress manifesto in Shimla
on Friday. Photo: Amit Kanwar
Darang-Barot
Rebels may cost Cong dear
Price rise synonymous with Cong: Dhumal
PK Dhumal addresses a public rally at Dharampur in Solan district on Friday.
HAMIRPUR
Dharamsala
Land deals: Virbhadra’s brother-in-law demands CBI inquiry
J&K BJP leaders assigned duties
BJP rebels stick to their guns
Security in place for poll
Rs 10 lakh seized
Sonia’s visit to Kangra postponed
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Key constituencies:
Shimla Rural Rakesh Lohumi
A veteran of many an electoral battle, the “Raja” from the erstwhile princely state of Rampur Bushair is used to batting on different turfs. It is not for the first time that he has had to find a new seat after delimitation. He faced a similar situation in 1971, when his Mahasu Lok Sabha seat, from where he had made his electoral debut, was scrapped and a new reserved constituency Shimla was carved out after delimitation. He shifted to the Mandi seat, from where he won twice in 1971 and 1980, but lost in 1977, when the Janata Party swept the polls.
Thus, Shimla Rural is the third Assembly seat from where the five-time Chief Minister is contesting, and it is also a newly carved out seat. In the thick of electoral politics for five decades, he has batted well and shown that no turf is unfamiliar for him. Moreover, there is little for him to fear in the latest outing. In fact, there is no opponent of stature in the arena to throw up a serious challenge to the old warhorse. The ruling BJP has fielded a greenhorn, Ishwar Rohal, who is currently chairperson of the block samiti, while the Himachal Lokhit Party has roped in Gaurav Sharma, a former BJP councillor in the Shimla Municipal Corporation. Other candidates in the fray include Ravi Kumar (BSP) Prem Chand Thakur (Independent) and Kushal Raj (Himachal Swabhiman Party). Anticipation
The contest may be listless, but the people are excited as their constituency has suddenly been bestowed upon with VIP status with the entry of Virbhadra Singh, and they see a distinct possibility of electing a Chief Minister. With 68,065 voters, it is the second biggest segment in Shimla district after Theog, and extends right from Shoghi, bordering Solan district, to Sunni, touching Mandi district. The inclusion of some parts of Shimla, including Jutog, Totu, Boileauganj, Chakkar, Rampur and Tara Devi and most parts of Shimla Rural tehsil has lent a semi-urban character to the constituency. Virbhadra, who is spearheading the Congress campaign in the state, is not taking chances, and has already spent a day and a half in the segment. The change in constituency has provided him an opportunity to groom his son Vikramaditya for politics. He is holding the fort in the absence of his father and overseeing the campaign. In every meeting he makes an emotional appeal to the gathering to help install Virbhadra Singh as Chief Minister for the sixth time, and promises that their grievances will be addressed on priority, for which a special cell will be created in the state secretariat. |
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Six royal scions in poll fray
Shimla, October 19
The Congress’ fancy for royalty continues as it has four candidates who hail from families of erstwhile rulers. The most familiar face is state Congress chief Virbhadra Singh’s. He is contesting from Shimla (Rural). His initiation into politics took place in the 1962 Lok Sabha poll and he won again in 1967, 1972 and 1980. He made his entry into the Assembly in a bypoll in 1983, becoming the Chief Minister for the first time. His wife Pratibha Singh has been elected MP from Mandi. Asha Kumari, hailing from Madhya Pradesh and married into the Chamba royal family, is contesting from Dalhousie once again. She contested for the first time in 1985 and won again in 1993, 1998 and 2003. Maheshwar Singh, who is heading the BJP’s breakaway group, the Himachal Lokhit Party, is the scion of the Kullu royal family. He made it to the Assembly for the first time in 1977 on the Janata Party ticket. He has been a member of the Rajya Sabha (1992-98) and won three Lok Sabha elections from Mandi. He has also been the state
BJP chief. His younger brother Karan Singh is contesting on the Congress ticket from the adjoining Banjar constituency. He made his political debut by winning on the BJP ticket in 1990. He again won in 1998 and also remained Education Minister. His relations with the BJP went sour and he contested on the BSP ticket in 2007, but lost, only to join the Congress later. Anirudh Singh, who hails from the Koti estate, is making his electoral debut. He is the Shimla Zila Parishad Chairman at present and is contesting as the Congress candidate from Kasumpti. Jyoti Sen, contesting as an Independent from Kasumpti, belongs to the Keonthal royal family. Her father-in-law Hitender Sen was a member of the first Assembly in 1952. She is the sister-in-law of Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh. Anand Chand, a member of the first Lok Sabha in 1952, hailed from the Bilaspur royal family. Lalit Sen (1957) of the Sundernagar royal family and Devindra Kumari (1962) and Padma (1972) of the Chamba royal family were members of the Assembly. Yogendra Chandra of the Jubbal royal family won in 1985 and 1998 as the Congress candidate and in 1993 as an Independent. Vijyendra Singh, hailing from the Nalagarh royal family, won five times between 1977 and 1993. |
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Doles for jobless,
laptops for toppers on Cong agenda
Rakesh Lohumi/TNS
Shimla, October 19 The election manifesto covered almost every section of society and pledged to make Himachal Pradesh a part of the Indian growth story over the next five years. It set some concrete targets on the development front, along with steps to ensure a responsive, transparent and accountable administration. It promised to set up an administrative commission for the reorganisation of districts. An unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000 per month will be given to class XII and graduate unemployed youth whose total family income is less than Rs 2 lakh per month. The amount for handicapped graduate unemployed youth will be Rs 1,500 per month. The service of contractual employees will be regularised in a year under a standing policy and a wage commission will be set up under the Finance Secretary to address wage anomalies and other service matters. The state electricity board will be unbundled and its finances restructured after taking employees into confidence to bring about a complete change in management. The minimum daily wage will be enhanced to Rs 200 per month and social security pension to Rs 600 per month from Rs 450 per month. As many as 5,000 guides will be trained to promote tourism. Accident death insurance for below poverty line families will be raised to Rs 4 lakh. A skill development corporation will be set up with an investment of Rs 500 crore to tackle unemployment. Emphasis will be laid on skill and vocational enhancement to create 1 lakh job opportunities annually. Under a new Rajiv Gandhi Digital Student Yojna, a total of 10,000 class X and class XII passouts who excel in the board examinations will be given laptops free. Students securing the first position in class VIII will be provided special learning laptops free. A university dedicated to mass communication and journalism, a centre of excellence for the promotion of innovations and a pre-training institute for recruitment to Army and paramilitary forces will be set up. Besides the construction of 7,500 km of new roads to connect all villages having a population of at least 100, national highways will be extended by 2,000 km over the next five years. A public grievances commissioner will be appointed for the expeditious disposal of complaints. Administrative tribunals will be set up in Mandi and Dharmasala. A legislation will be enacted for the establishment of a village-based judicial system and e-courts in panchayats. A special budget will be provided for the early completion of irrigation projects. Efforts will be made to increase the irrigated area to 40 per cent. Farmers will be compensated to the extent of 75 per cent in case of damage by hailstorms. Integrated post-harvesting infrastructure will be created to prevent losses to farmers due to wastage. Besides state leaders Virbhadra Singh, Vidya Stokes, Anand Sharma and Kaul Singh Thakur, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Punjab leader S Singla and AICC leaders Birender Singh and Anees Ahmad were present.
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CM aspirant Kaul Singh faces challenge at home
Kuldeep Chauhan
BJP’s Jawaharlal Thakur, a man with an earthy approach, had given Kaul Singh the first wake-up call in the 2007 Assembly election, when the Congress leader managed to scrape through by just 1,809 votes. This time again Kaul Singh’s castle seems under attack from all sides. Kaul Singh had challenged state Congress chief Virbhadra Singh’s hold within the party soon after the Congress debacle in 2007. But the ball went back to Virbhadra after the high command unseated Kaul as party president at the last minute.
Kaul Singh put up a show of strength when he filed his nomination, telling the crowd that he did not “go after posts” and had left it to AICC president Sonia Gandhi to decide on the next Chief Minister. While Kaul Singh’s detractors within the Congress allege he has been soft on Chief Minister PK Dhumal, he was able to sideline Jawaharlal and inaugurate a bridge besides a couple of buildings, which lowered the BJP cadre’s morale in Darang. Voter expectations
From Barot in the Chauhar valley to Panarsa in the Snor valley, voters have kept the candidates guessing. Kaul Singh’s terms as MLA are being questioned. As many as seven gram panchayats are without roads — Lapas, Latran, Tarswan Batheri, Shil Bhadani and Kathog. “Politicians make promises they will provide us link roads, but nothing has happened for the past 20 years,” villagers resent. In the Chauhar valley, the poor have been illegaly cultivating poppy. However, campaigns against the practice have cut this source of income too. Another cause for resentment is that the Guma rock salt mines never became a source of employment for local youth, despite promises made by the MLA. Barot flood victims have not been rehabilitated. Looking back
More than issues of development, the entire Mandi district is looking at Darang to seek one answer: Will Kaul Singh end up like his Congress predecessors: Chachiot leader late Karam Singh Thakur in 1963 and Sukh Ram in 1993. Sukh Ram played spoilsport and sidelined Karam Singh after he sided with the late Dr YS Parmar. Kaul Singh did the same in 1993 and sided with Virbhadra Singh to sideline Sukh Ram. Kaul Singh claims all development in Darang is his contribution, but the BJP claims the roads are being built under the Prime Minister’s Gramin Sarak Yojna, and not the Congress. Jawaharlal Thakur’s claim is he is closer to the grassroots and identifies with the poor that inhabit the Chauhar valley, one of the poorest and remotest areas in Darang. Politically, the two main rivals are evenly placed. Both claim they are farmers, but Kaul Singh is more urbane and aristocratic in manner, and farmer only by proxy. Kaul first won on the JNP ticket in 1977, but joined the Congress in 1982. He lost in 1990 and then won in 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2007. However, he faces a tough election this time, as most Congress contestants in Mandi back Virbhadra Singh as of now. Between the BJP, new entrant Himachal Lokhit Party’s Kapil Dev (one-time Kaul supporter), NCP, BSP and three independents, the Congress has to battle on multiple fronts. But Kaul Singh can take comfort from the fact that a BJP rebel, Ramesh Sharma, is also in the fray and can upset Jawaharlal’s cart, as he did in 2007. Much depends on how the BJP manages Sharma. |
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Rebels may cost Cong dear
Shimla, October 19 Of the 68 seats, rebels may queer the pitch for the Congress in about 20 seats, including many in which the party has a good chance of victory. Prominent rebels include OP Rattan (Una), Yog Raj (Dehra), Dharamvir Dhami (Manali), Prem Lata Thakur (Kullu), Ishwar Dass (Ani), Chet Ram (Seraj), Promilla Devi (Bhoranj), Malinder Rajan (Indora), Kashmir Singh (Ghumarwin), Jitender Chandel and Lekh Raj (Bilaspur), AC Pal
(Arki), Parminder Pammi (Doon) and Kirnesh Jung (Paonta Sahib). The party leadership has not made any effort to woo the rebels and persuade them to withdraw from the contest. While state Congress chief Virbhadra Singh is busy campaigning, other senior leaders are contesting elections. There is no one to take the initiative to talk to rebels and make them mellow down. There is hardly any time left as the last day for withdrawal of candidature is October 20. In the past, the tussle between senior leaders in the race for the Chief Minister’s post encouraged the phenomenon, but the party won due to a strong anti-incumbency factor, with even a number of rebels managing to win. The situation is different this time. Besides anti-incumbency in the state, resentment is brewing against the United Progressive Alliance regime due to the scams unearthed and decisions like the liquefied petroleum gas price hike. In this scenario, the party cannot afford the luxury of allowing rebels to have a good run. |
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Price rise synonymous with Cong: Dhumal
Solan, October 19 He alleged that the Congress had sold the prime government land to a key realtor during their regime and when confronted by the media, it had been levelling baseless allegations. “While the price of land was hiked from Rs 14 lakh to Rs 22.6 crore within a span of three years, the PCC’s kin evaded stamp duty and income tax in the process according to a television channel, which had exposed the land scam yesterday,” he said. Addressing a public rally at Dharampur in Kasauli constituency and later in Nahan in favour of BJP candidates MLA Dr Rajiv Sehzal and Dr Rajiv
Bindal, he said the presence of two Union Ministers from the state had not helped the state get its due and they had to fight the case for getting its share in the BBMB case, which the Union Government had ‘opposed’ tooth and nail. Reduction in quota of rice, kerosene and untimely curtailment of the state’s industrial package by the Centre proved the
anti-Himachal stance of the UPA government, the Chief Minister alleged. He said price rise was ‘synonymous’ with the Congress and whenever they formed the government, it led to massive price hike, thus burdening the common man. He said the common man had been suffering due to the rise in the price of diesel, petrol and other commodities. The move to do away with subsidy in LPG had worsened their condition and now sugar, too, was being decontrolled. He said the people would give a befitting reply to the ‘anti-poor’ policies of the Congress at the
Centre. Dhumal said all sections of society had benefited under his regime and the Congress was trying to ‘negate’ the significance of their achievements like the Atal School Uniform Scheme and the Atal Swasthya Scheme by making ‘false’ claims. |
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Dhumal up against scion of BJP family
Dharam Prakash Gupta
While Dhumal is looking to get a huge margin on the strength of the CM tag being attached with Hamirpur, Congress’ Thakur has taken up the challenge to avenge his “political persecution by Dhumal in the BJP” after the death of his father Jagdev Chand. Hamirpur has been a stronghold of the BJP, with its candidates winning the seat seven times (all family members of Narender Thakur), and the Congress winning thrice. For the BJP, five consecutive elections were won by Jagdev Chand Thakur, and two by his daughter-in-law Urmil Thakur.
Dhumal is also banking on the easy access voters have to him. A well-organised party structure is another advantage. Thakur has been chosen by the Congress to put up a stiff challenge to the Chief Minister - and thereby confine him to Hamirpur during the campaign - through his aggressive tirade against the Dhumal government and by cutting into the BJP’s vote bank that is Jagdev Chand’s legacy. Thakur has been targeting Dhumal and his family on the corruption charge and Dhumal’s effort to finish Jagdev’s legacy. Narender’s hope is thus both Congress and BJP votes. He has lost two elections from Hamirpur - once as a BJP candidate in 1994 and another as Mitra Milan candidate against his sister-in-law Urmil Thakur of the BJP in 1998. Narender had also unsuccessfully contested the last parliamentary election against Dhumal’s son Anurag Thakur. Anil Mankotia of the CPM, a former popular student leader, is also in the fray, hoping to garner youth votes and workers in his maiden election. Avnish Kumar (Himachal Swabhiman Party), Naveen Singh (Samajwadi Party) and Ashish Kumar (Independent) are among the others contesting.
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Second run for MLA after 11-month stint
Ambika Sharma
Rana this time is pitted against the BJP’s political greenhorn KL Thakur, who took voluntary retirement as Executive Engineer in the Irrigation and Public Health Department to join the party in September. The constituency comprises the urban voters of Nalagarh, the crucial Changer area and the belt bordering Punjab. Both the candidates hail from the Changer area, each claiming hold over a substantial vote share there. The urban area of Nalagarh has been traditionally voting against the BJP, while the Saini family has a considerable hold over the bordering areas.
A keen contest is in the offing, as the sitting MLA Lakhwinder Rana is already facing anti-incumbency for having failed to deliver in his 11-month stint. His poll promises like speeding up work on the Chikni bridge and improving the condition of the Nalagarh-Swarghat road have not materialised, thus disappointing some of his voters. Since Rana owes allegiance to former Pradesh Congress Committee president Kaul Singh Thakur, he also faces opposition from supporters of former Congress MLA Vijender Singh. Rana had lost two elections prior to the byelection last year, and had pleaded to the people to give him a chance. The delimitation has led to the exclusion of the BJP’s key area of Pargana Malaun in the constituency, but added Khera, which could benefit the party. With no rebel from either party in the fray, there is a direct contest for the seat, though candidates from the Himachal Lokhit Party and the BSP are also contesting.
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Kamla’s entry makes it a three-way
fight
Lalit Mohan
Kamla deposited Rs 6 lakh with the local municipal council on Friday to clear her dues and get a no-objection certificate for filing her nomination papers for the Assembly election. Thus far, it was a direct contest between Kishan Kapoor of the BJP and Sudhir Sharma of the Congress. Kamla’s move has surprised many, as there was no report regarding her intention to contest the Assembly elections. Political observers have two explanations for the development: One, that Kamla Patial might have entered the fray at the behest of former MLA from Dharamsala and Jodhpur MP Chandresh Kumari, who arrived in Dharamsala two days ago.
Gaddi vote bank
The other suspected reason for Kamla contesting the poll is it might be the result of Virbhadra Singh’s visit to Dharamsala on Thursday. It is speculated she might have been encouraged to contest to cut into the Gaddi vote bank of the BJP’s Kishan
Kapoor, Minister for Industries. The constituency has a considerable tribal Gaddi vote bank, which has been with Kapoor since long.
Kamla, who also belongs to the Gaddi community and is the daughter of former BJP MLA from Dharamsala Brij
Lal, can definitely attract Gaddi votes. However, she can also affect the prospects of the Congress candidate, as most urban voters who are disappointed with the sitting minister can opt for
Kamla, who is also a local candidate. Meanwhile, the estranged Congress leader and HPCC delegate from Dharamsala Digvijay
Puri, who was earlier sore at being denied the party ticket, has announced his support for Sudhir Sharma. |
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Land deals: Virbhadra’s brother-in-law demands CBI inquiry
Shimla, October 19 Addressing a press conference here today, he said as per information obtained by him under the RTI, as many as 18 different sale deeds involving 115 bighas of land in Kasuali tehsil had been registered in his name. All these deeds were effected within a short period from September 23, 2010, to October 25, 2010. The power of attorney for these sale deeds was with Kuldeep Chand. He said the value of the land, which is worth crores, was mentioned
Rs 41 lakh. Sen said the CBI should probe the case as the person in whose name the deeds had been registered appeared to a front. The real persons behind the deal should be unmasked. He said he never sold any land to the DLF and had no connection with it, some of his co-sharer had
sold their shares to the company for which permission was granted by the present government. His name was being unnecessarily being dragged into controversy just to damage the
reputation of Virbhadra, who was leading the Congress campaign in the Assembly poll. |
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J&K BJP leaders assigned duties
Jammu, October 19 Sources said the decision to depute J&K leaders in Chamba district was taken due to cultural similarities between areas of Jammu and Chamba. Furthermore, a number of families from Jammu have relatives in Chamba. Shamsher Singh Manhas, president, BJP, J&K, who has been camping at Chamba, said they had been assigned the task to strengthen the organisational set-up. He said teams had been deputed and work was allotted to them. As Chamba district borders the Bhaderwah area of Jammu, some leaders from Bhaderwah and Doda have given assignments. Some party workers from Kishtwar district will be deputed to the Pangi area, which borders Kishtwar. Ashok Koul, organisation secretary of the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir and an RSS parcharak, has been deputed to strengthen the network at the booth-level in Chamba district. Other BJP leaders from J&K would be deputed in Chamba to address public meetings. |
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BJP rebels stick to their guns
Mandi/Kullu, October 19 “There is no question of going back as the public pressure and support is immense,” said Roop Singh Thakur, BJP legislator-turned-rebel from Sundernagar. “I cannot leave the people who stood by me in the lurch,” he added. Chief Minister PK Dhumal not only addressed three public meetings yesterday, but was also on a damage-control mission to pacify rebels Roop Singh Thakur, Shyam Lal (Mandi), Mahant Ram Chaudhary (Balh), KK Thakur (Sarkaghat), Ramesh Sharma (Darang) and Joginderpal (Karsog). BJP rebels were conspicuous by their absence at these meetings. Backroom persuasion failed to pacify them. Replying to a media query, Dhumal said efforts to pacify them were on. He could only pacify Nachan legislator Dile Ram. Congress rebel Mast Ram and BJP rebel Jogindepal joined hands in Karsog. Mast Ram asserted that he would contest as an Independent with Joginderpal’s support. |
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Security in place for poll
Bilaspur, October 19 He said four companies of the Central para-security forces comprising 500 men, 640 police personnel and 315 Home Guards had been placed on duty during the poll here. He added that the entire Punjab border touching the district was being sealed to check any activity against the model code of conduct. The SP said there were 4,300 licensed weapons in district, out of which 272 weapons had been submitted to the police by their owners.
— OC |
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Rs 10 lakh seized
Nurpur, October 19 DSP Rajinder Jaswal said the vehicle occupant, identified as Rishi Mittal of Jalandhar, was carrying the amount without any document. In order to check anti-social elements, illicit liquor and weapons in the state in the wake of Assembly poll, the police had sealed all entry points and set up nakas there, he said.
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Sonia’s visit to Kangra postponed
Kangra, October 19 Disclosing this here today, Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Ajay Verma said her visit was postponed for security reasons in the wake of the festive season. He said the next date of her visit would be announced soon. He said the AICC chief was to address a public rally here on October 22 in support of Congress candidates of the region. |
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Shimla, October 19
Chief Minister PK Dhumal said today that the Congress had ‘failed’ to protect the interest of the state. The ‘involvement’ of a close family of the Pradesh Congress Committee chief Virbhadra Singh in a ‘shady land deal’ in Kasauli tehsil had ‘exposed’ the real face of the Congress, he claimed.
NALAGARH
Shimla: With his traditional constituency Rohru reserved for Scheduled Castes after the delimitation, Congress heavyweight Virbhadra Singh has been forced to shift to the newly created Shimla Rural seat.
He entered the Vidhan Sabha from Jubbal Kotkhai, which was vacated for him by late Ram Lal Thakur, who was replaced by him as Chief Minister in 1983. He successfully contested from the seat in 1985 and shifted to Rohru in 1990. It virtually turned into his pocket borough over the period, and he won five elections in a row. 
Mandi: Congress stalwart Kaul Singh Thakur, though a chief-ministerial aspirant, is fighting a battle of his lifetime from this constituency that he has lorded over for nearly three decades.
The developments came handy for the BJP in this constituency, which questioned Kaul Singh’s leadership ability and stature. But Kaul’s supporters, especially his trusted team of Puran Chand, SS Guleria and Darang election in-charge and his son Chander Shekhar, counter this by claiming their leader has developed Darang and “is sure to win by a greater margin this time”.
Hamirpur: The constituency this time has a very interesting contest as BJP candidate Chief Minister PK Dhumal is pitted against a Congress candidate, Narender Thakur, who is former Hamirpur district BJP president and son of BJP stalwart Jagdev Chand
Thakur. Dhumal shifted to the Hamirpur constituency in this election after his home constituency, Bamsan, was scrapped in the last delimitation.
The main election plank for Dhumal is the development carried out in the district after he became Chief Minister in 1998. During his current term also many educational institutions like HP Technical University and the State Institute of Food Craft have been opened in the district. 
Nalagarh: The Nalagarh constituency in Solan district is going to be the battleground for the sitting Congress MLA Lakhwinder Rana for the second time in less than a
year. Rana had wrested this seat from the BJP’s Gurnam Kaur in November last year by a margin of 1,599 votes following a byelection after the death of BJP MLA HN
Saini. The seat had been with Saini since 1998, when he had defeated five-time Congress MLA Vijender Singh. Saini subsequently won in 1998, 2003 and
2007.
Though the BJP’s KL Thakur initially faced opposition from the Saini faction led by Gurnam
Kaur, but they later agreed to support Thakur after being placated by Chief Minister PK
Dhumal. While in principle the Saini family is campaigning for Thakur, certain supporters are still peeved at the denial of ticket to senior BJP leaders, and some dissidence against Thakur is palpable.
Dharamsala: The entry of Dharamsala Municipal Council president Kamla Patial as Independent candidate from the Dharamsala constituency has turned the contest from bipolar to triangular. She is a former BJP leader and was at one time considered close to Chief Minister Prem Kumar
Dhumal.
She had been seeking the Congress ticket from the constituency for her son, Ashwarya
Katoch. She had also vehemently opposed the candidature of Sudhir Sharma, and at one point got his ticket changed in favour of Manoj
Gaddi. However, Virbhadra Singh prevailed, and the ticket was once again allotted to Sudhir Sharma. Chandresh Kumari and Kamla Patial are considered
close.