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High-decibel campaign ends, Himachal Pradesh goes to polls on November 9
The BJP is trying to ride the momentum that it has had in recent years and the anti-incumbency factor to beat the ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh.
The high-decibel campaign for the 68 assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh that ended on Tuesday could be dubbed the election of choppers.
The hills resonated with sounds of choppers as bigwigs crisscrossed the state. The BJP had engaged nearly a dozen choppers for its star campaigners, while the fund-starved Congress could arrange only four.
The BJP is trying to ride the momentum that it has had in recent years and the anti-incumbency factor to beat the ruling Congress. The assembly elections have seen unusually belligerent campaigning as top leaders of both parties focused their attention on the hill state. On the last day of the campaign, allegations and counter allegations flew thick and fast, even as home minister Rajnath Singh addressed public meetings at Chamba and Hamirpur.
Minister of textiles Smriti Irani, Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Rawat and chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal turned out for the BJP, while for the Congress, CM Virbhadra Singh and Punjab CM Amarinder Singh were lead campaigners on the last day.
“The use of money power in Himachal vitiated the atmosphere and has given birth to new culture but anyhow this kind of practice will have no benefit to BJP,” Virbhadra said. In a press conference in Shimla, Rajnath repeated a phrase by PM Narendra Modi that the Congress had conceded defeat in the state.
