Dhumal lashes out at CM over his statements on EC

Shimla, Oct 13 (UNI) Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today criticised Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for issuing contradictory statements on state elections declared by the Election Commisison of India.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said while Mr Singh welcomed the decision on the first instance, he later said ''I have been ambushed by the Election Commission''.

Mr Dhumal said such double talk only reflected the self-confidence of the party and its leadership had been shattered. He went on to add that the EC had taken all parties into confidence before taking the decision.

Mr Dhumal said, by running away from elections, the Congress party had lost the elections even before contesting them.

The BJP leader alleged that despite the fact that the moral code of conduct was in force, the Chief Minister's hoardings on developmental issues had not been removed.

He urged the EC to take cognisance and order the removal of all such hordings to allow free and fair elections in the state.

Mr Dhumal also charged that certain officers, holding key positions, were acting as ''dummies'' of the Congress party.

He appealed to the EC to remove all such officers from key positions.

He said, a number of voters, especially in Shimla district, had names in two electoral rolls, one in Shimla and another back home in their ancestral villages.

Mr Dhumal said removal of such double voter's names from the list was the responsibility of the government. While, he said, the BJP had full faith in the working of Himachal Pradesh Police, the state should requisition the services of paramilitary forces to reduce the work load on the state police.

Replying to a question, the BJP leader said it was for the party high command to decide on the Chief Ministerial candidate.

Mr Dhumal was accompanied by former minister Parveen Sharma, former state party president Jaikishan Sharma, legislators Satpal Singh and Virender Kanwar besides state secretary Balbir Singh Chaudhary.

UNI