Ahead of the Mandi parliamentary by-polls, the BJP has intensified its campaign and accused the ruling Congress in the state of bringing the state to bankruptcy.
Addressing a series of public meeting in this district in favour of BJP candidate Jai Ram Thakur, leader of opposition, Prem Kumar Dhumal, alleged that during the first two months of its tenure, the government had incurred a loan of Rs 1700 crore for the payment of salary bill alone of its employees which depicted a sorry state of affairs.
Dhumal said during its short tenure of five months, the government had done nothing except transfers without providing substitutes as all development had come to a grinding halt. “Do not forget the black day ofJune 27, the polling day, when Mrs Indira Gandhi, had clamped emergency in the country scuttling civil liberty and freedom of Press and vote against Congress,” he exhorted.
The former Chief Minister said besides his tall claims, Virbhadra Singh has not been able to restore the economic package granted by former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee nor could he get any additional financial assistance to meet the economic crisis under which the state was presently reeling.
Dhumal said all opposition parties were making frantic efforts to weed out the most corrupt present Congress government in the history of independent India and expressed confidence that in 2014 non-Congress alliance would form the government transcending the petty considerations and personal ego in the supreme interest of the country.
Meanwhile, Health and Revenue Minister, Thakur Kaul Singh, is burning mid-nigh oil to ensure that Congress candidate, Pratibha Singh, won with record votes. Addressing a number of public meetings along with Pratibha Singh, he claimed that Congress alone could provide strong and stable government for Himachal Pradesh to ensure sustainable development. He cautioned people not to be misled by the speeches of the BJP leaders who were spreading canards.