In a move to keep the people from being smitten by NaMo mania, and to subvert the rally of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in the Hill State, Himachal Government has convened a special session of Gram Sabhas, on the same date for which the rally has been scheduled.
Modi is all set to conduct his only rally in the State on February 16 in Hamirpur district. However, the HP Government has convened a Gram Sabha meeting to discuss Forest Right Acts on the same day. This step of the State Government has not gone down well with the Opposition BJP, and the party has accused the ruling party of conspiring against their prime ministerial candidate.
“Modi’s popularity has started haunting Virbhadra Singh and his Government in the State and hence, Gram Sabha meetings have been scheduled for February 16, to stop people from attending the Parivartan Rally,” said Satpal Singh Satti, State BJP chief. Now, the BJP is planning to send a written application to the State Government to reschedule the meetings as several Gram Pradhans and Panchayat representatives are going to attend the rally.
“The Government’s gimmick to stop the people of the State from attending the rally is not going to work,” added Satti. BJP has asked its party workers and Panchayat Pradhans to boycott the Gram Sabha meetings. Commenting over the current logjam, the leader of Opposition, Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Congress’ plan to subvert the rally will only backfire.
According to the rules laid by the Rural Development Ministry, the Gram Sabha meetings are held every quarter. As per the schedule, the Gram Sabha meetings are held on the first Sundays in the month of January, April and July while the last meet is held on October 2. Meanwhile, the BJP is trying to make the rally memorable and in their effort to do so the party has planned to mobilise at least 2 lakh people for the rally and is holding village and panchayat meets across the State.