Chautala favours mid-term poll
Asks workers to remain in field
From Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Oct 17 — Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala is understood to have favoured mid-term assembly elections along with five other states in February next. Mr Chautala is reported to have asked BJP and INLD workers "to remain in the field and not return to the barracks as elections can be announced at a short notice of 15 days".

Well-placed party sources told TNS here that Mr Chautala made these observations at a joint meeting of the INLD and BJP state executive at Karnal yesterday. Mr Chautala, who has been emboldened by the sweeping victory of the alliance in the Lok Sabha elections, is said to be awaiting a suitable time to recommend dissolution of the state assembly and announcement of elections.

He has managed to set the ball rolling. The joint executive meeting of the party was supposed to discuss the issue of electricity and law and order in the state. The agenda of the meeting was set by the Chief Minister who chaired the meeting . However, party sources disclosed none of the speakers at the meeting appeared interested in the agenda and it was the theme of elections that dominated the proceedings.

The subject was initiated by the INLD MLA from Hassangarh and the Chairman, Agricultural Marketing Board, Mr Balwant Myna. He reportedly observed that the alliance should go for election on a priority basis and sort out subsequent issues later. This was received by an audience of about 2000 workers of the two parties with a thunderous applause.

The idea was seconded by the BJP state executive member, Mr Ram Kumar Gautam. Senior INLD leader and Finance Minister Prof Sampat Singh and alliance MPs like I.D. Swamy and Ms Kailasho Saini followed suit.

The BJP legislative Party Leader, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, strongly advocated mid-term elections, saying it was the best time for the alliance to seek a fresh mandate from the people.

However, there was a note of dissent from no less a person than the BJP state president, Mr Om Prakash Grover. He reportedly observed during this speech that while the alliance had swept the Lok Sabha elections because of the Vajpayee factor and the "anti-people policies of Mr Bansi Lal", for the assembly elections the alliance must have some achievements to show for seeking people's mandate.

He reportedly suggested giving top most priority to solving people's long-pending problems.

He said the government must ensure that electricity is supplied to farmers even if the state has to purchase it at a higher price from other states. He expressed concern over the draught-like conditions in large parts of the state.

In his concluding remarks, Mr Chautala hinted that the elections could be held any time at a brief notice of 15 days. He reportedly went to the extent of saying the elections would be held in the state simultaneously with five other states where elections were scheduled for February.

He asked the workers of the INLD and the BJP "not to leave the field" and continue to remain in "live touch" with the people.