Shimla, Nov 3
Only eight days are left for Himachal Pradesh General Assembly Elections, National stalwarts of ruling BJP and opposition Congress could be seen addressing street meetings, besides VVIPs like PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi. Among those who are canvassing in Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election are Union Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister Smriti Irani, Anurag Thakur and Chhatisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Bhagel, CPI(M) leader Subhashni Ali.
Poltical parties are trying to hold street meetings of these leaders as crowds are not gathering for the rally because of the concentration of people in their respective segments.
BJP leaders trying hard to retain the power as it was facing strong antincombency wave not only of the state but of the central Goverment. BJP is trying to make attack on Congress rather focusing on electoral issues like development and governance of Jai Ram Thakur Government. BJP known for the events management is trying to put battery of national leader for canvassing. There seemed to be strong support of electronic media behind the ruling party but the way superficial election opinion polls are being telecasted, it may back fire on the ground.
BJP is trying to feel the pulse of voters with its entire election machinery. The campaign is getting movement as the polling date is coming near to November 12 . About ten to twenty teams of every poltical parties are moving door to door to galvanizing and mobilising the voters and booth agents. Successful rallies of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were held in Solan, Mandi, Kullu. At Theog she campaigned in favour of Congress candidate Kuldeep Singh Rathore, who is trapped in four corner contest against CPI( M) MLA Rakesh Singha and Congresss rebel Vijay Pal Khachi and Indu Verma. The BJP candidate Ajay Shyam is in fray who is with green horns. Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and party Incharge Avinash Khana and Union leader Ashish Pandey were among the BJP star campaigners in Theog. Congress party which was termed highly unorganised has geared up for elections and state unit is acting unitedly.
Both the parties are facing rebells in many seats now moving ahead to expel the rebellions. Party succeed to force former MP Maheshwar Singh to withdraw from Kullu but his son Hiteshwar Singh is in fray, defying party’s verdict in Banjar Assembly segment. Many seats which are with the ruling party become the risky contests for BJP. However, Congress has less rebellions in the fray. It has strengthened its canvassing by resorting do and die politics. AAP mainly focusing on the Gujarat Assembly elections and seems the party leadership has left hill state campaign in the hands of local leaders. There are reports of massive use of money, freebees and liquor by political parties and candidates in the state as the Election Commission observers have succeeded to crack down such several moves to influence latest report received. The ECI spokespersons has said that Gold worth Rs 3 crore 6 lakh 66 thousand seized.
During the blockade carried out by the Police Department at various places in the state during the Model Code of Conduct in view of the Vidhan Sabha elections, cash, illegal liquor and beer were seized.He said that during the blockade by the Income Tax Department, cash worth Rs 2.51 crore and gold/ornaments worth Rs 3.6 cr have been confisticated. Total of 74298.234 liters of illicit liquor worth Rs 1 crore 23 lakh 48 thousand 329 was also seized by the State Tax and Excise Department. So far, a total of Rs 28.19 crore illicit liquor, cash, narcotics etc. have been seized by various departments.
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