CM confident of Cong returning to power in next assembly elections

Una, Nov 9 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today asserted that the Congress party will return to power in the next assembly elections, claiming the divided BJP was no match to it.

Addressing a public rally at Badheda village in Santoshgarh constituency, he said the Congress party, which was getting public support from all corners of the state, would be returned to power in the next assembly elections.

Mr Singh alleged the BJP was a divided lot, not only in the state, but also at the Centre with differences between former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and former home minister L K Advani now being common, while leaders like Uma Bharti had left the party.

''In the absence of any capable leadership at the Centre, the state BJP unit too was heading towards chaos,'' he said, adding that infighting had already come to the fore between Shanta Kumar, Prem Kumar Dhumal and JP Nadda for the party's Chief Ministerial candidate.

Exhorting the BJP workers to join Congress, he said while the state BJP was divided within small groups, the BJP workers in the state were unable to decide about their future.

Elaborating on the various national awards bagged by Himachal in the areas of development, the Chief Minister said the state was an example, not only to hill states, but also to other developed states of the country.

He said there was no limit to development and that it was the duty of the government in power to rise up to the expectations of the public, he said.

Without naming the BJP, he said it was trying to divide people along caste and regional lines.

Earlier, Mr Singh laid foundation stone of Beetan Government College building, to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs five crores, inaugurated the 33 KVA electrical sub station at Tahliwala industrial area and inaugurated the newly constructed Blood bank unit and the newly upgraded First referral Unit of the Health department at Haroli.

He also laid the foundation stones for the augmentation of four water supply schemes at Batt Kalan-Batt-Khurd, Bathu, Lalehri-Kungrat and Bhadsali villages, which are estimated to cost about Rs three crore.

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