Cong alleges Parmar luring voters with money, moves EC

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, October 15

Congress workers had a tiff with BJP leaders in Circuit House here late last evening. Alleging that BJP leaders were distributing money in Circuit House, they lodged a complaint with the Election Commission.

They accused Vipin Parmar, Minister for Health, of misusing official property by holding a meeting with party workers and alleged that he distributed money for influencing voters. The Congress also lodged a police complaint in this regard.

Trashing the allegations, Vipin Parmar said that he had come to Dharamsala after campaigning in rural areas. He went to Circuit House for having a cup of tea. Soon, the Congress workers gathered there and started raising slogans. He just walked out from there. The Congress was trying to create an issue as it was losing the Dharamsala byelection, he said.

The Congress has made the issue out of it with most of its leader targeting the minister. Yogesh Sahni, former Congress minister from Jammu and Kashmir and observer for Dharamsala byelection, while addressing a press conference here today, alleged that the BJP was using official machinery and money power to win the election. Congress workers, he said, would take to streets and expose the BJP.

Meanwhile, the statement of Shanta Kumar yesterday that there was no need for making Dharamsala the second capital also came handy for the Congress.

Congress MLA from Sujanpur Rajinder Rana said if the government was against giving the second capital status to Dharamsala, it should withdraw the notification issued by the previous Congress government. “I dare the CM to withdraw the notification on the second capital status to Dharamsala and then let people decide the fate of the BJP in the ongoing byelection,” he said.

Besides Rana, other Congress leaders campaigning in Dharamsala also objected to the statement of Shanta and demanded an explanation from the Chief Minister.

The Congress leaders also met members of the Dharamsala Bar Association. The Bar members are upset at the abolition of the State Administrative Tribunal.

Sources here said some officials of the Dharamsala court objected to Congress candidate Vijay Inder Karan supporting shooting on the court premises while he was meeting officials for their seeking their support.

BJP files Counter-complaint 

• The BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of violating the model code of conduct
• In a complaint to the EC, the BJP alleged that Congress workers entered the Circuit House without permission and held a meeting besides raising slogans
• “They also recorded a video and uploaded its edited version on the social media in violation of the model code of conduct,” the party alleged

Shanta stirs row over 2nd capital

• Former CM Shanta Kumar’s stance that Dharamsala should not be declared the second capital of the state has triggered a controversy ahead of the bypoll
• Congress MLA from Sujanpur Rajinder Rana said if the government was against giving the second capital status to Dharamsala, it should withdraw the notification issued by the previous Congress government
• Besides Rana, other Congress leaders campaigning in Dharamsala also objected to Shanta’s statement and demanded an explanation from the Chief Minister

‘Cong trying to create an issue’

I had come to Dharamsala after campaigning in rural areas. I went to Circuit House to have a cup of tea. Soon, Congress workers, too, reached there and started raising slogans. I just walked out of the Circuit House. Congress is trying to create an issue as it knows that it is losing the Dharamsala byelection. — Vipin Parmar, Health Minister