Ghumarwin, October 31
AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi today exhorted youth and women to come forward and join politics to help him in his mission of “cleansing the system” that required young blood.

Addressing an election rally at Ghumarwin in Bilaspur district, Rahul said it was only with youth and women joining politics that the system could be changed. Amidst slogans of “Hamara pradhan mantri kaisa ho, Rahul Gandhi jaisa ho”, the Congress leader, being projected as the next Prime Minister, asked youth to be part of the system rather than being a mute spectator.

Sensing the balance that about 22 lakh youth voters of the Himachal hold in the Assembly polls, he said today unemployment had emerged as one of the biggest issues grappling the state.

“Has the BJP regime of the state been able to give jobs to any one of you?” he asked youth.

This is the second visit of Rahul to the state during the run-up to the November 4 poll.

He addressed two rallies at Ghumarwin and Banikhet in Chamba today. Last week, he had visited Lahaul-Spiti and Kangra.

Rahul said active role of women in politics was a must to not only empower them, but more importantly to improve the system.

“States where the number of women in panchayats and the Assembly is large are better-ruled and fast-growing states,” he said. He said the UPA regime had taken care of weaker sections, women, youth, farmers and labourers.

He lamented that despite Himachal having a vast potential for tourism and industry, little had been done by the Dhumal regime to generate jobs.

“If you want your state to progress on the path of development, you must vote the Congress to power,” he said.

He lashed out at the BJP regime in the state for the pathetic condition of roads, rampant corruption and sale of prime land to outsiders for a pittance.

Citing several flagship programmes of the Congress-led UPA regime, including MNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna, Sarva Shikshya Abhiyan and debt-waiver for farmers, Rahul said these schemes had helped every section of society.

“The rural employment guarantee scheme is such a huge success that other nations are studying it and replicating it in their countries,” he said.

The Congress leader also tried to strike a chord with people on the issue of the FDI in retail and the propaganda by the BJP on the issue.

“The BJP was itself keen to bring in the FDI Bill when it was in power, but after it failed to do so it decided to oppose it just for the sake of criticism,” he said, adding that state farmers would immensely benefit from the move.

AICC general secretary and in charge, Himachal, Chaudhary Birender Singh and AICC secretary Anees Ahmed also spoke.

Banikhet (Dalhousie): Rahul Gandhi categorically stated that the Opposition’s fight against corruption was just pretence as the BJP thought about personal gains rather than public good. It had also opposed the Lokpal Bill in Parliament.

Addressing an election rally at Banikhet township in the Dalhousie Assembly constituency today, Rahul said to root out corruption at all levels, the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre had already enacted the RTI Act and alleged that when the UPA government passed the Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha, the BJP opposed the Bill in the Rajya Sabha.

He said the Nehru-Gandhi family had a deep affinity with people of Himachal and always worked for their well-being and at the same time people of the state had always been loyal to the Congress.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for External Affairs Anand Sharma accused the BJP government of breeding corruption in the state and giving patronage to land deals.

Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and the AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh also lashed out at BJP leaders.

Digvijay eulogised former minister Asha Kumari who is a contestant from Dalhousie for her contributions in the area and appealed to residents of Chamba to vote for her.

Earlier, Union Minister of State for Cultural Affairs Chandresh Kumari and local Congress candidate Asha Kumari greeted Rahul Gandhi and other dignitaries accompanying him on his arrival at Banikhet.

Baruna (Nalagarh), October 31
Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab, said today that the Congress-led UPA government would make a record of sorts and enter the Guinness Book of World Records as numerous scams were being unearthed every now and then.

Addressing an election rally at Baruna in Nalagarh in favour of BJP candidate KL Thakur, Badal said the Congress-led Centre had been discriminating against non-Congress governments and it was perpetuating corruption.

Badal said though the Centre had earned from imposing taxes in states, it was bearing only 30 per cent of their budgetary expenditure while spending the lion’s share of 70 per cent.

He said the NDA-led Central Government had kept the prices of essential commodities under check, while prices were spiralling under the present UPA government.

Badal turned nostalgic while addressing the rally and said he had been coming to the constituency in the past to campaign for former MLA late HN Saini, who had served people with utmost dedication.

Lauding Chief Minister PK Dhumal for promising to give an induction heater to each family free of cost if voted to power, he said Dhumal had set an example of visionary thinking and they also would contemplate replicating this idea in Punjab and urged people to vote for the BJP.

BJP’s Nalagarh nominee KL Thakur vowed to serve people with utmost dedication if he won the election and said he would forgo his salary and would barely take a token salary of Re 1.

Shimla, October 31
Maintaining that the time was ripe for the emergence of a third political alternative, senior CPM leader Sita Ram Yechuri today called upon the voters in the state to support the Himachal Lok Morcha (HLM) and pave the way for the emergence of third political force at the national level.

Addressing mediapersons here today, he said people were disillusioned with the BJP and the Congress, which were the “chips of the same block” as far as the issue of corruption and economic policies were concerned. The highly discernible voters of the state could show the way to the country by supporting the HLM.

The people of Shimla had made the CPM victorious in the Municipal Corporation polls and Mayor Sanjay Chauhan and Deputy Mayor Tikender Panwar had done a good job in serving the people so far.

Referring to the issue of FDI in retail Yechuri said opposition of the BJP was opportunistic as while in power it had tried to pursue the same policy and had blamed the Congress for raising obstacles in its way. The CPM had been opposing it all along as it had neither helped the cause of the growers nor the consumers in the long run. It had only served the interests of the multinational companies.

The CPM’s stand was clear that FDI should be allowed only if it helped in augmenting and expanding the existing capacity, created additional employment and led to technological upgrade. The FDI in retail did not fulfil these parameters as had been experienced the world over.

He said the CPM had found a foothold in Himachal and it would also test the electoral turf in Gujarat by contesting at some seats in the ensuing polls. The main objective was to expand base and help provide a third political alternative to the people to end political hegemony of the BJP and the Congress.

Shimla, October 31
Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad criticised the Dhumal government today for renaming various Central schemes after BJP leaders to claim credit in the elections.

“It was unethical and immoral on part of the state government to rename national programmes as these were common programmes funded by the Centre for the entire country. If every state comes out with a different name it will not only create confusion, but also undermine the sanctity of the national schemes,” he told mediapersons here today.

He said free ambulance services were being operated across the country under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), but in Himachal it was renamed as Atal Swasthya Sewa. The government was taking credit for operating 112 ambulances in the state, but the fact was that his ministry had sanctioned 32 more ambulances. The state government was not aware of them, and their total number would increase to 144 soon. The Centre had sanctioned Rs 14.22 crore for the purpose. The Centre had provided Rs 767 crore to the state under the NRHM and it had, while extending the programme for the 12th Plan period, made further concessions for the hill states like Himachal Pradesh by lowering their share from 15 to 10 per cent. However, it was unfortunate that the state was not using the funds properly as was evident from the large number vacant posts of doctor and paramedical staff. The Centre was not only providing funds to up-grade infrastructure like buildings and equipment, but also for human resources and providing free medicines. Funds were being provided for hiring additional 66 medical specialists as per the norms set under the NRHM, but they were not being used.

The state used only Rs 5.77 crore out of the Rs 11 crore provided under the Janani Suraksha Yojna, which reflected the incompetence and indifferent attitude of the government. The Centre had set up an ESIC hospital at Baddi and a medical college at Mandi, but these were being claimed as achievements of the Dhumal government. It also provided Rs 125 crore to start super-speciality services at the Tanda Medical College in the fields of oncology, cardiology, cardio-surgery, nephrology, neurology and gastroenteritis. There were several schemes but the state had not used the entire amount.

He said from next year generic medicines would be provided free of cost at government hospitals.

Patta (Baddi), October 31
Chief Minister PK Dhumal said today that the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre was discriminating against Himachal and Himachalis and this was manifested in the untimely curtailment of the Central industrial package.

Addressing an election rally at Patta Mehlog in favour of BJP candidate Vinod Chandel, he said it was lamentable that the Central industrial package announced by the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been diluted by the Congress government. This had not only impacted employment avenues but had also hampered economic prosperity of the region.

Attacking the doublespeak of Congress leaders, Dhumal said while on one hand Union Minister Anand Sharma professed that the Central package had not been withdrawn but on the other he said it would be extended for one year. This not only reflected their lack of concern for the state but also how the Congress was misleading people.

He said it was lamentable that a national leader like Sonia Gandhi had been making false allegations that the state had failed to spent Rs 10,000 crore and asked if such an amount had been deposited in some benami bank account as Himachal had failed to receive any such amount in the past five years.

He said the Congress had failed to provide Rs 150 crore for the upkeep of national highways and a pittance of Rs 5 crore was provided.

Dhumal added that people had been provided relief from the spiralling prices by being provided subsidised ration and each family would be provided with an induction heater.

Mandi, October 31
To counter the impact of slogans of “women power and united Congress in Seraj” against BJP four-timer Jai Ram Thakur, BJP All-India Mahila Morcha president Smriti Irani and All India BJP SC Cell president Ramnath Govil today held Congress-ruled states responsible for female foeticide. They also alleged that the party was responsible for crime against women and discrimination against the Dalits.

The BJP rally at Janjheli came close on the heels of a similar rally addressed by Virbhadra Singh against Jai Ram Thakur. Congressmen from Seraj-Vir Singh Chauhan, Shiv Lal, Chet Ram Thakur, Lal Singh and others joined hands with Tara Thakur and launched an attack against Jai Ram Thakur.

The BJP has roped in actress-turned politician Smriti Irani to stop the surge of women voters towards Tara Thakur as she is the only woman candidate who is taking on the minister here.

Addressing a public meeting in support of Rural Development Minister and four-timer BJP candidate Jai Ram Thakur at Janjheli today, Smriti alleged that Congress-ruled states had failed to protect women as crimes against them were on the rise. She alleged that female foeticide had increased in some Congress-ruled states. Even some doctors had been caught for the crime, but the Congress government had never taken any action, she alleged.

Smriti also blamed the Congress for price rise and corruption. The Congress had lifted subsidies on LPG that has hit the common man especially women, she added.

Ram Nath Govil accused the Congress of exploiting Dalits to get their votes. The BJP government has increased budget for the Scheduled Castes from 11 to 25 per cent in the state, he claimed here at a press conference.

Bilaspur: Smriti Irani today flayed the Congress for feeding the masses with only empty slogans such as “remove poverty”. She said the party had been exposed as it only wanted to increase poverty as well as add to the difficulties of the common man. Smriti was addressing a largely attended BJP rally at Shah Talai late in the evening in support of BJP candidate Rikhi Ram Kaundal.

Having arrived at the rally five hours late, she alleged that her helicopter was obstructed by the authorities for several hours as it was not given clearance to fly.

Smriti said the Congress had given the slogan of removing poverty “within next 100 days” in 2009, but Congress-led governments were responsible for the shooting up of prices of all essential commodities.

She accused Sonia Gandhi of trying to mislead people by giving wrong and fictitious figures of the Central funds given to the state. “Sonia should know that people here are not that gullible that they will digest whatever she tells them,” she added.

Whatever funds were given to the state by the Centre were not any mercy of the ruling government, but were given under Constitutional provisions and rights in lieu of the funds which got diverted to the Centre from that state due to various taxes and provisions.

Palampur, October 31
Dulo Ram, vice-president, Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP), said today that both BJP and the Congress had cheated residents of Palampur as all development activities in this town remained suspended for five years.

He categorically stated that the BJP was in power in the past five years but it extended a step-motherly treatment to this region. Not only Palampur but other parts of the region were also neglected by the BJP.

Dulo Ram was addressing a rally organised by the district unit of the HLP at the local Gandhi Ground here this afternoon.

He asked residents of Palampur to not get misled by the false promises of the Congress as well as the BJP. If candidates of these parties were elected again to the state Assembly they would again feed only their henchmen and the common man would be sidelined.

Dulo Ram announced that if he was elected as an MLA from Palampur his top priority would be to grant the district status to Palampur, setting up of new industries, provide employment to youth and providing better health services to people.

He said the BJP in the 2003 and 2008 Assembly elections, announced that it would grant the district status to Palampur if it was voted to power, but nothing was done.

Top BJP leader Shanta Kumar and local MLA Parveen Sharma opposed the reorganisation of districts and hurt the sentiments of seven lakh residents of Palampur.

He said though the BJP had announced that it had given jobs to 1.75 lakh youth of the state, there was not even a single youth from Palampur who got job in state services in the past five years. Jobs were provided only to the “relatives of MLAs and ministers”.

The HLP leader said there was an anti-BJP wave across the state as the common man was fed up with anti-people policies of the government.

He added that the HLP would emerge as the third front in the state and it would play a vital role in the government formation in the state.

Shimla, October 31
Chief Secretary Sudripta Roy today said all preventive measures had been taken to ensure free, fair, peaceful and transparent elections in the state as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India.

He presided over a meeting held here today to review arrangements and preparedness of the government. He said the model code of conduct was being implemented effectively and all possible measures were being taken to ensure free and fair polls.

He said helicopter services would be provided in the far-flung and snow-bound areas to air-lift Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), polling personnel and polling material before and after the polls.

Poll parties, polling material and EVMs would be airlifted to the land-locked Bara Bhangal” hamlet of Baijnath constituency on November 2, and Bara-Bangal to Baijnath on November 4. Bara-Bangal in Baijnath is situated at a height of 9,000 ft and 45 voters, including 26 men and 19 women, were likely to exercise their franchise here.

Helicopter services would also be provided from Pangi to Kullu, Keylong to Kullu and Kaza to Kullu on November 5.

The Chief Secretary said a control room was set up in the police headquarters to monitor election related activities and send daily reports as required. As many as 140 naka points were set-up to check illegal liquor and other illegal material. In addition 90 flying squads were also monitoring any illegal movement of cash, liquor or other suspicious items. Besides, 76 Control Rooms were working round-the-clock throughout the state and 131 shadow areas where mobile services were not functioning, wireless sets had been made operational for better communication system.

Chief Electoral Officer Narender Chauhan said 60 companies of Central para-military forces, including 25 of the ITBP, 15 of the SSB, 10 of the CRPF and 10 of the BSF were deployed to ensuring free and fair elections in the state.

He said 1,365 HRTC buses would be deployed during the elections for the 68 Assembly constituencies in the state. He directed the PWD and the transport authorities to ensure uninterrupted vehicular traffic. He said November 2 to 4 would be dry days.

He said 7,253 polling stations had been set up in the state out of which 1,317 had been declared sensitive and 763 hypersensitive. He said 46,08,359 voters would cast their votes in the 68 constituencies, including 45,33,713 general voters and 74,646 voters from the services.

Chamba, October 31
National president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and MP Anurag Thakur has slammed the UPA government for inflation and capping on LPG cylinders.

Addressing an election rally at Chamba town on Monday, Anurag came down heavily upon the Congress for raising the prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene.

Speaking about the BJP election manifesto, Anurag said the BJP was resolved to make the state free from poverty and unemployment.

He praised Chief Minister PK Dhumal for setting new milestones in various fields of development and achieving several awards for Himachal and assured that development in the state would be accelerated at a good pace.

Detailing about the achievements made in Chamba district during the BJP regime, Anurag said big projects to the tune of Rs 30 crore had been drawn for development of Chamba town.

Manali: This popular tourist destination has become a hub of political activity since the Delimitation Commission carved out the Manali constituency out of Kullu.

The poll battle in the region involves three families: Dhami of Seobag, Gaur of Katrain and Kunj Lal of Sanial. Congress rebel Dharamvir Dhami is contesting as an Independent, BJP MLA and third-timer Govind Thakur, son of senior BJP leader Kunj Lal, and Congress candidate Bhuvneshwar Gaur, son of late Rajkrishan Gaur, are pitched in a triangular contest.

These three main rivals are eyeing over 60,676 votes in Manali and keeping their cards close to their chest. Both the BJP and the Congress fear of losing votes to Dhami who has emerged a powerful third force.

After the exit of Rajkrishan Gaur and the emergence of Manali as a new constituency, the old “mama-bhanja” war between Dhami and his maternal uncle late Rajkrishan Gaur has taken on a new colour this time. It is now siblings of Gaur-Dhami lineage, who are slugging it out in the political arena to establish their dominance in Manali.

Govind faces not only an anti-incumbency factor, but also detractors in the BJP saying that the BJP had kept power in the Kunj Lal family. Besides Govind, his sister Dhaneshwari Kumari was made chairperson of the Women Commission. BJP ticket-seekers Gajender Thakur and Chandersen Thakur are still sulking. Govind could not live up to the expectations of the tourism and horticulture industry, which is the mainstay of people here, Congressmen complain.

The Gaur team is led by Harichand Thakur, chairman of block samiti. It is depending on the strength of the “divided party cadre” as well as Gaur’s rapport with the public and his clean image.

But Gaur, a supporter of Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes has received a major jolt soon after he managed the ticket. Manali Congress ‘navratans’ and ticket-seekers Devinder Negi, Kamla Prarthi, Naveen Tanvar, Prem Sharma, Anurag Prarthi, Man Chand are rallying behind Dhami to stop Gaur’s march to the Vidhan Sabha. Dhami is Virbhadra Singh’s supporter who had brought him into the Congress.

Most of them are campaigning for Dhami and complain that the Congress had ignored senior leaders and instead trusted a junior Gaur simply because he is the son of a former minister.

But another Congress ticket-seeker AR Thakur, president of Manali Hoteliers Association, who has taken up the cause of the Jogni Fall project has also thrown his support behind Gaur. “First, once the party has given a ticket to Gaur, Congressmen should support him as a team,” he says.

Secondly, the BJP MLA has failed to deliver goods to the horticulture and hotel industry here. “Roads are in a bad shape, Manali town is in a pathetic condition as work on the beatification project is going on at a very slow pace and funds from the green tax are not being used to create infrastructure for tourists, he said.

Even Dhami remains a turncoat mainly because Gaur never allowed him to inherit his political fortune. Their relationship soured in 1998 when Dhami revolted against his maternal uncle and fought as an Independent. Dhami lost to him and came third. He continued his crusade against Gaur and fought again in 2003 as an Independent and in 2007 on the BSP ticket and secured the second spot with 23,892 votes, while Gaur came a poor third with 18,192 votes.

BJP’s Govind Thakur won the then Kullu seat for the first time in 2007 and secured 28,925 votes.

Local hoteliers complain of lack of facilities such as proper toilets at Solang Nala ski resort, parking lots in town and pedestrian paths along the Circuit House road. The Mall is in a shambles, they rue. There is no regular air connectivity and the Manali-Chandigarh highway is in a bad shape at several points. There is no proper strategy to deal with traffic jams on the Manali-Marhi-Rohtang highway as well as in the town in peak summer months, they add.

But owners of home-stay units credit Chief Minister PK Dhumal for launching the home-stay schemes in the state. “It has boosted tourism in the valley, and mahila mandals and taxi operators have been facilitated as the MLA did a good job, they add.

Jhanduta: It’s a fight between traditional rivals Rikhi Ram Kondal of the BJP and Beeru Ram Kishore of the Congress from the Reserved Assembly segment of Geharwin in Bilaspur district, which has now been renamed Jhanduta.

Kondal, presently the Deputy Speaker, is desperately trying to repeat his success for the fifth time from this seat. He won the Assembly polls in 1985, 1990, 1998 and 2007. He was also the state Minister for Cooperation between 1998 and 2003.

The Congress on the other hand has fielded two-time MLA Beeru Ram Kishore. Kishore won in the 1993 and 2003 elections. He has remained the District Congress Committee president of Bilaspur.

Kondal has been instrumental in getting a lot of development work done, but there is resentment among people regarding the conduct of his son. Kondal has maintained close contact with people and is fairly popular.

The presence of Vijay Kaushal, grandson of former MLA from Geharwin segment Nikoo Ram, in the fray could cause some damage to the Congress. Nikoo Ram was elected to the Territorial Council in 1962 and re-elected to the Assembly in 1967 and 1972. Kaushal has a small pocket of influence. Kaushal was a contender for the Congress ticket, but when the party decided to go in favour of Beeru Ram, he decided to contest as an Independent. Efforts to convince him to retire from the contest did not yield results.

The Congress nominee is a low-profile man who has been campaigning with party workers. He is hoping to cash on the anti-incumbency factor. A majority of the party workers are supporting him. The incomplete college building at Jhanduta has also become a major issue in the polls.

People contest that the college building at Jukhala, work on which was started at the same time as Jhanduta, is almost complete, but the building here is not even half complete. The college holds classes in a school building leading to great inconvenience to residents.

The contest between the Congress and the BJP is turning out to be a close one.

Kasauli: Vinod Sultanpuri, son of six-time Member of Parliament KD Sultanpuri of the Congress, is trying to make his electoral debut from this seat which has been a Congress bastion, but was wrested by Dr Rajeev Sehzal of the BJP in 2007.

This seat was held by Raghu Raj of the Congress for three consecutive terms in 2003, 1998, 1993 and also in 1985 and 1982. It was wrested for the first time by the BJP in 1990 when its nominee Satya Pal Kamboj defeated Raghu Raj. Dr Rajeev Sehzal of the BJP won this seat in 2007 after defeating Raghu Raj with a margin of 6,374 votes.

Sehzal, who is contesting for the second time, enjoys a non-controversial image and is credited for establishing a college at Dharampur, which has been a long-pending demand of people of the constituency. His other achievements include construction of roads in rural areas though their maintenance has been suffering for want of funds.

He faces some opposition from a section of the BJP, including senior leaders who have been feeling ignored. With basic health services suffering due to paucity of staff, people say they expected more from the MLA who is himself an Ayurvedic doctor.

Vinod Sultanpuri of the Congress, who got the ticket owing to his proximity to Rahul Gandhi, believes on establishing personal contact with voters by revising old ties his father enjoyed with people for three decades. Concentrating on door-to-door campaigning, he is trying to strike a chord with people. He says scarcity of water, deteriorating condition of roads and unemployment figure high on his agenda. He faces opposition from a section of his own party men who feel he is inexperienced at the grassroots level.

The presence of Ram Swaroop, a Congress rebel, who is son of former MLA Raghu Raj, as a candidate of the Trinamool Congress, has created some trouble for the Congress.

Shillai: Four-time MLA from this traditional Congress stronghold Harsh Wardhan Chauhan is locked in a straight battle with his rival Baldev Tomar of the BJP. During the last Assembly polls, Chauhan defeated Amar Singh, an Independent, while Baldev Tomar ended up a poor third and even lost his security deposit. This time the scenario has changed as Amar Singh is not in the fray and is backing Tomar. There are three more candidates: Hari Ram (CPM), Nathu Ram (BSP) and KS Jindal (NCP), but none of them is likely to secure enough votes to make any significant difference to the contest.

After delimitation eight panchayats of the Anj Bhoj area, with over 12,000 voters shifted to Paonta and 11 panchayats of the Ladi Bhoj area with an equal number of voters were shifted from Renuka to this constituency. As the areas are Rajput dominated, the caste equations remain unchanged.

Chauhan used the Renuka by-election to establishe a rapport with people of the new areas. Although Balbir is not considered strong as compared to Amar, who polled over 16,500 votes in 2007, a straight fight has made the contest keen.

Carrying on the political legacy of his father late Guman Singh, who was a minister, Chauhan is looking to win the seat five times in a row. He will have to overcome the anti-incumbency factor.

Baldev Tomar, who is also president of the district unit of the BJP, is close to CM PK Dhumal and the right-hand man to Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sukh Ram. He has been actively working in the constituency for the past five years and remained in touch with people. This time he has also got the support of Shobha Ram Chauhan who backed Amar Singh Chauhan in the last polls.

Dhumal and PCC chief Virbhadra Singh also campaigned here. Uttarakhand CM Vijay Bahuguna came here and promised to build a bridge across the river Tons which divides the two states.

Sundernagar, October 31
Right to Information (RTI) activist Lawan Thakur said district electoral officers (DEOs) had failed to develop a mechanism to check and stop the paid news menace in the Assembly elections in the state.

“The Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) at the district and state-levels are ineffective and not able to give time and attention to check paid news during the Assembly elections,” he said, adding that he had tried to gather details of cases of paid news detected by all 12 DEOs in the state and it seemed that they were taking the issue lightly.

He said the MCMC had been formed to monitor and control paid news, but it had no time to meet, get information from newspaper and electronic media. Everything had been left on district public relation officers to do the same with their routine jobs.

He said none of the DEO or MCMC had taken any suo-motu action so far and action was initiated only when a written complaint was registered.

“Even after 23 days of enforcing a model code of conduct in the state, Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts have found no issues of paid news so far. The Solan DEO has issued seven notices, but all of these were contested and cancelled,” the RTI activist said.

“Una has issued one notice so far, Shimla three, Kullu three and that too after Dr Amandeep Garg joined office as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) here. The Kangra DC has detected four issues of paid news and the Mandi DEO is yet to compile the information,” said Lawan.

He added that he had written to the Election Commission to intervene in the matter.

Bilaspur, October 31
Sudesh Aggrawal, national president, Samast Bharatiya Party (SBP), has said though his party did not put up any candidate in the Assembly elections, the party’s national executive had decided to support all candidates of the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP).

He said the SBP was convinced that the objective of making politics free from corruption and bringing in a clean administration to people were already being propagated and fought for by the HLP and now it would be better to extend support to it.

Aggrawal said he had toured most parts of the state and was convinced that neither the Congress nor the BJP was going to get a majority and no government could be formed in the state without the support from the HLP.

He said voters had been searching for an alternative to these two “corrupt parties” and now their search had come to an end, as the HLP, in the form of an alternate government. Daulat Ram Sharma, HLP candidate from Bilaspur Sadar, said BJP and Congress leaders had been busy only in collecting funds from big industrialists and ignoring Bilaspur district in development.