Congress puts off anniversary rally

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 17

The prevailing inclement weather conditions have forced the state government and the Congress party to postpone its public rally and celebrations associated with the completion of two years of the Virbhadra regime till March-April next year.

The Congress was planning to hold the function this time in Mandi on December 25, but with early snowfall, the party has been forced to call it off.

“We do not wish to put people to inconvenience so we have decided to postpone the rally in March-April, when the weather will be warm,” said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

It was on December 25, 2012, that Virbhadra assumed office of the Chief Minister for the sixth term.

The first anniversary of the government was held at Hamirpur last year. With Mandi being the central and politically significant belt, covering Kullu, Mandi, Lahaul Spiti and Bilaspur districts, it had been decided to hold the function in Mandi.

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Sukhwinder Singh said the holding of the function to mark two years of the government had been postponed because of the prevailing cold weather conditions.

“Since party workers and others, especially from Kullu-Manali, Mandi and Lahaul Spiti will be very keen to attend the function, we have decided to postpone it till March-April,” he said.

The decision has been taken by the CM, Sukhu and other party functionaries keeping in mind the fact that Kullu-Manali has been worst hit by the severe cold wave.

Normal life has been paralysed. Power supply and vehicular movement has been completely hampered in the area.

Senior Congress leaders said the rally should be held only in April, when the weather improves.

“Holding the rally during the winter months will amount to putting the public to inconvenience and that is something we wish to avoid completely,” they said.