Fight between BJP and Congress, BSP a non-entity in HP: Jain

Chandigarh, Sep 10 (UNI) The main fight in the next Himachal assembly elections will again be between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress, senior BJP leader and incharge Himachal Pardesh Satya Pal Jain said here today.

''There is no question of emergence of any third front in the state,'' Mr Jain said here at a press meet while responding to a query on the emergence of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the state as a ''third alternative.'' ''The BSP has no standing in the state and the BJP and Congress remain the main contenders,'' Mr Jain stressed adding that even if the BSP had gained any ground in the state, it would adversely affect the Congress prospects in the elections.

''Even in the case of emergence of a third front, the Congress will be main loser,'' he said.

On the decision by the Congress government in the state to hold assembly polls as per schedule, Mr Jain said earlier, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh used to talk about holding election in November-December, but the sudden change in the government's decision was an ample indication that the Congress was fearing defeat in the next polls.

He declared that the BJP was ready to face elections any time and its main poll issue would be ''misgovernance and failures'' of the Congress government.

''The party will contest the election on the basis of its past performance and would make public aware of the good work done by the BJP government during its earlier regime,'' Mr Jain said.

The BJP leader also denied the presence of Shanta and Dhumal factions, claiming that the party was united and the two leaders were working together to ensure the party's victory.

UNI