New Delhi, October 15
Caught off guard by the announcement of the poll schedule in Himachal Pradesh, the state unit of the Congress, led by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and party’s state in charge R.K. Dhawan, today lodged a strong protest with the Election Commission and demanded that the decision should be reviewed. However, the BJP opposed the move stating that any change in the dates would affect the credibility of the commission.

The three election commissioners will visit Shimla tomorrow to review the poll preparations.

The ruling Congress was surprised by the decision of the poll panel to ‘prepone’ the elections, so as to club the poll with the three tribal districts of Kinnaur, Bharmour and Lahaul and Spiti.

Political parties during their pre-poll interactions with the commission suggested the simultaneous holding of poll in all 65 Assembly segments of the state.

The parties suggested elections for the tribal areas in November before the passes were officially closed and for the rest of the state in February, before the Himachal Assembly tenure expires on March 9.

The Election Commission announced two-phase elections for Himachal on November 14 and December 19. The notification for the three Assembly segments would be issued on October 20 and candidates could begin filing their nominations.

Congress leaders today informed the panel that the two-phase election would come in the midst of heavy winter. “The term of the present Assembly is till March next year. This arises a peculiar situation that there will be two Assemblies at a time. We have brought this out to the notice of the commission,” Dhawan said after the meeting.

A six-member BJP delegation, led by party vice-president Mukthar Abbas Naqvi, also met the poll panel later and opposed the ruling party’s plea.

“We told the commission that any change in the schedule will affect the credibility of the panel. Any such changes will be seen as the panel has buckled under Congress pressure. That impression should not be created,” Naqvi said.

Naqvi said the Congress was trying to delay an inevitable failure in the coming Assembly elections.

“We are ready for the poll anytime. If the Election Commission wants to postpone it, we are ready. We are confident that we will win with two-thirds majority,” former state Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said.