Lambasting CM, Shah sounds poll bugle

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 22

The BJP today set the ball rolling for the forthcoming elections in the state by organising a youth rally at Kangra today. The rally that was addressed by the party president Amit Shah also brought to the fore the issues that the BJP would focus during the election campaign.

Almost all the BJP leaders who addressed the rally today concentrated their address primarily on three issues — the Gudiya rape case, the murder of forest guard Hoshiar Singh in Mandi and the corruption cases against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

The party also launched its digital campaign for the elections. The party president Amit Shah announced a mobile number 7574068068 and urged all those present in the rally to voice their disapproval of the present Congress government.

Amit Shah also released the anthem of the party for the elections. The anthem primarily targets the Chief Minister on corruption cases. He also released an online portal for receiving donations for the party in Himachal.

Targeting the Chief Minister, the BHJPchief said that he had created record of sorts by not resigning despite facing so many corruption cases and being out on bail. This was he has set a new tradition in politics.

Shah further said that former BJP CMs in Himachal, Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal were known as ‘Paniwala CM’ and ‘Sarakwala CM’, respectively. However, Virbhadra Singh would be known for the corruption cases against him.

Shah also said that the Chief Minister was puncturing most of the schemes being allotted to the state by the union government. While the revenue of other states was increasing the revenue of Himachal had reduced by Rs 4,200 crores. The revenue has reduced due to corruption practices of the present Congress government, he said.

PK Dhumal, while addressing the rally, termed Amit Shah as ‘Chanakya’ of politics. He said that it was pity that High Court had to order CBI probe in both Gudiya rape and murder case and murder of forest guard in Mandi. The integrity of the state agencies was under question and Himachal had been defamed. The insensitive statements of the Chief Minister in Gudiya rape case had further hurt the people of the state. When the opposition MLAs went to meet the family of Gudiya, her elder sister asked would Virbhadra Singh term it as ordinary criminal case in case such crime had happened with his daughter. “We had no answer”, Dhumal said.

Shanta Kumar said he had been in politics of Himachal for the past 64 years. However, Himachal had not been defamed to such an extent. Many Congress leaders for Himachal, including Virbhadra Singh, former union minister Sukh Ram and AICC secretary Asha Kumari, were on bail in corruption cases. Shanta Kumar urged the people to not award the Congress for defaming the Himachal in the forthcoming elections.

JP Nadda, union minister for health, showered praises on Amit Shah for evolving BJP into the biggest political party in the country. He said that it was Amit Shah’s strategy that brought BJP to power in 18 states in the country. It was only under Amit Shah’s leadership that party was voted to power on its own for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and Haryana.

Counting the projects allotted to Himachal by the union government, Nadda said that the state had been given 69 national highways and medical colleges in Mandi, Chamba and Sirmaur. The medical college in Hamirpur could not be opened as the state government did not provide land for the project. A PGI satellite centre at Una and an AIIMS for Bilaspur had also been cleared by the present government, he said.

The BJP MPs Ram Swaroop, Anurag Thakur, Varinder Kashyap, party incharge for Himachal and union minister for social justice, Thawar Chand Gehlot and Mangal Pandey were among the other senior BJP leaders present in the rally.

Key issues 

BJP leaders concentrated their address primarily on three issues — the Gudiya rape case the murder of forest guard Hoshiar Singh in Mandi and the corruption allegations against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Digital campaign launched

• The party also launched its digital campaign for the elections. 
• The party president Amit Shah announced a mobile number 7574068068 and urged all those present in the rally to give a missed call it, to voice their disapproval of the present Congress government. 
• He also released the anthem of the party that is primarily targeting the CM on corruption cases. 
• He released an online portal for receiving donations for the party in Himachal.

Rally highlights

• Posters of Union Minister for Health JP Nadda were in prominence in the rally whereas the posters of former CMs Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar were scarce
• JP Nadda supporters, including former MLA of Nurpur, Rakesh Pathania, welcomed Amit Shah at Gaggal airport
• There were about 25,000 BJP workers in the rally
• Dhumal received the maximum cheers from public when he came to address the rally
• BJP workers carried cutouts of senior party along while leaving the rally venue
• Amit Shah termed JP Nadda as his friend
• Anurag Thakur attacked Virbhadra Singh for insulting red cap of Himachal
• Satpal Satti said if voted to power the BJP would revoke controversial appointments in Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission and Staff Selection Commission of state