Road shows by Congress and BJP in Hamirpur district

Hamirpur, Dec 17 (UNI) The Congress and the BJP rounded off their election campaign in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh by holding road shows in different parts of the district today.

While Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh took part in road shows at several places between Sandhol in Mandi to Sujanpur Tira in Hamirpur, the BJP's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal addressed about two dozen corner meetings in Nadaunta and Bamsan assembly segments of the district.

In his last attempt to woo the electorate of Bamsan and Hamirpur, the chief minister termed the previous BJP Government as the ''most corrupt state government ever''.

Mr Singh also referred to the contents in the hard disc of the then chief minister's computer, saying he had recommended the names of a select few people for government jobs in various government departments, violating all norms.

Appealing to the people to vote for the Congress, he said whenever the Congress had come to power in the state, it had developed.

''Each vote for the Congress will be a vote for the development and to maintain peace and harmony in the state,'' he said.

On the other hand, Mr Dhumal criticised the chief minister for indulging in corrupt practices along with his MP wife and referred to an audio CD released by BSP's convenor Vijai Singh Mankotia during the parliamentary by-polls.

He lashed out at the Congress on the rising prices of essential commodities and said by providing a food subsidy of Rs 100 to the electorate in its last year would not prevent the people from voting against the government.

Seeking peoples' cooperation for the BJP candidates for the overall development of the state, he claimed that Himachal witnessed balanced and uniform development during the previous government's tenure.

The government would carry out all developmental activities with the same vigour and approach, he added.

Meanwhile, all preparations have been completed for ensuring free and fair polling in all the five assembly constituencies of the district, district DC Nandini Gupta today said.

A record number of 3,54,233 voters, including 1,80,026 females and 1,74,197 male voters would exercise their right to franchise in 414 polling stations spread over five assembly segments.

She said 49 polling stations in the district have been declared hyper sensitive, 89 sensitive, 247 ordinary and 29 critical.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans would assist the local police and home guards in maintaining law and order in the district during the assembly polls on Wednesday.

Ms. Gupta said the polling parties have been dispatched to their respective stations after distribution of election material.

UNI