Sudhir: Proposed ADB meeting in Chandigarh violation of poll code

Dharamsala, April 6

Sudhir Sharma, BJP candidate from the Dharamsala Assembly constituency, in a press note issued here today said that the proposed meeting of Asian Development Bank (ADB) at Hyatt hotel in Chandigarh on April 9 was a violation of the model code on conduct.

He alleged that when the model code of conduct was in place why the government was holding the meeting of investors in Hyatt hotel in Chandigarh. The motive of the government behind holding the meeting was questionable and Central agencies should take note of it, he added.

Sudhir, a Congress rebel, alleged that the government was trying to offer government land to people through the investors’ meet. The government should tell people as to why private investors were being offered land for tourism projects while the Chief Minister was cancelling Union Government-aided projects, he added.

Meanwhile, RS Bali, chairman of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), has termed Sudhir’s allegations as baseless. He said that the meeting in Chandigarh was being held as per the mandate of the ADB, which was offering a loan of more than Rs 2,000 crore for tourism projects in the state. The meeting was being held to discuss the projects.

Bali said, “The ADB projects implemented in the state during the tenure of the previous government are lying defunct. The present Congress government does not want to repeat the same mistakes. So, elaborate discussions are being held before the projects are implemented.”

He added that no politician was attending the meeting. Sudhir, who is drawing flak for deserting the Congress, was making such statements for political reasons.