BJP to start election campaign in HP from Dcember 5

Chandigarh, Nov 15 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) will launch its election campaign in Himachal Pradesh on December 5 for the second phase of polling slated for December 19.

Disclosing this at a press conference here today, State BJP incharge and former MP Satyapal Jain said, during the campaign BJP president Rajnath Singh, former deputy prime minister Lal Krishan Advani, former union minister Sushma Swaraj, Murli Manohar Joshi and former party president Venkiah Naidu would address election meetings at various places in the state.

He said that on November 18 the party would organise ''Yuva Garjana Rally'' in Mandi, which would be addressed by Mr Rajnath Singh.

Mr Jain added that the party's central election committee would soon meet in Delhi to decide about the party candidates for second phase of Assembly election for 65 seats. He hoped that the name of the party candidates would be announced by November 23.

He said that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Uttrakhand Chief Minister Bhuwan Candra Khanduri, senior party leader Arun Jaitly, Member of Parliament Navjot Singh Siddhu and Hema Malini would also take part in the campaign.

On being asked about the party's chief ministerial candidate, Mr Jain said that the BJP central parliamentry board would choose either of the party's two top leaders Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal as chief minister of the State.

UNI