Party high command to decide on CM candidate, says Dhumal

Our Correspondent

Kullu, February 22

Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said it was upon the party high command to announce the CM candidate for the upcoming Assembly elections. While addressing mediapersons after a BJP rally against the state government here today, he said even in 1998 the party high command decided the CM candidate three days before the elections and even in 2007 it was done during the polls.

Dhumal said the BJP would conduct over 100 rallies statewide under the “Mafia Raj Hatao Pradesh Bachao” campaign.

He claimed that the law and order condition had deteriorated and the police was busy in implicating the members of the Opposition. He said the police was not able to trace ISIS sympathizer residing in the remote region of Kullu since six months. He added that the police was clueless about the recovery of explosives in Kala Amb at Sirmaur district and seizure of illegal weapons in Nahan.

The former CM said it was matter of shame that a SSP from Punjab had given an affidavit in court that drugs were being manufactured in Himachal. He alleged that many illegal activities were being carried out in the state with the connivance of the government. He charged that all sections of the society, including schoolchildren, college students, unemployed youth, government employees, pensioners, senior citizens, farmers, agriculturists and daily wagers were not satisfied by the present government as it had done nothing for their welfare.

Dhumal claimed that after the BJP comes to power, fair and adequate compensation would be given to those affected due to the four-laning of national highways. He said RUSA system would be abolished and it would not be implemented till appropriate staff and infrastructure were available.

State BJP president Satpal Satti said stolen vehicles in the border regions of the state were never recovered.

He alleged that contract to supply and disburse liquor was awarded to one company from Punjab after the formation of the Himachal Pradesh Beverages Corporation. He alleged that land mafia was working with the support of the state government. He claimed that transfer mafia was also active during the tenure of the present Congress government. He urged BJP members to oust the Congress and reach out the masses to ensure ‘Mission 50 plus’.

Mandi MP Ram Swaroop Sharma, former ministers Khimi Ram and Jai Ram Thakur, BJP state general secretary Ram Singh, Kullu MLA Maheshwar Singh, Manali MLA Govind Singh Thakur, state BJP spokesperson Ajay Rana and other BJP leaders and members were present on the occasion.