List of candidates to be out in fortnight: Jai Ram Thakur

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KULLU, OCTOBER 1

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has said the list of BJP candidates for the Assembly elections is likely be announced around October 15 after the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct.

Addressing mediapersons after the launch of crafts centre ‘Alankaar’ in traditional arts and crafts centre Dev Lok at Badagran in Manali today, he said time would tell if the list of candidates for all 68 seats would be released in one go or in phases.

Arts & crafts centre inaugurated

Dev Lok, an ADB project, is a unique cultural tourism destination which will promote arts, crafts, culture and tradition of Himachal. It has been developed on 22 acres at a cost of Rs 46 crore. It will be operated as a public-private partnership project with the Tourism Department. Jai Ram Thakur, CM

The CM said Prime Minister Narendra Modi loves Himachal and the people love the PM and that is why the PM had visited Himachal seven times in five years. It would be for the first time in the history of Himachal that a PM witnesses the historical ‘Rath Yatra’ on the opening ceremony of the International Kullu Dasehra festival. It was likely that the PM would attend the occasion after his programme in Bilaspur and seek the blessings of Lord Raghunath and other deities.

Earlier, during his address, the CM said Dev Lok, an ADB project, was a unique cultural tourism destination which will promote arts, crafts, culture and tradition of Himachal. He said it had been developed in 22 acres at about Rs 46 crore. He said it would be operated as a PPP (Public Private Partnership) project with the Tourism Department.

It would provide a unique place for tourists. The local artists and artisans would also get an opportunity to promote, exhibit and market their products through this centre. He also thanked Deepa Sahi, renowned actress and promoter of Dev Lok, for encouraging locals to be part of this project.

Later the CM inaugurated and laid foundation stones of 21 development projects worth about Rs 202 crore in the Manali constituency during the ‘Pragtisheel Himachal: Sathapna Ke 75 Varsh’ programme at Haripur college. He said the role of each individual had been immense in making Himachal one of the most progressive states. He added that these 75 events being organised throughout the state were aimed at thanking every contributor to make Himachal a model state of the country.