Weather plays spoil sport in campaign

Inclement weather led to suspense over the visit of VVIPs from the different political parties for campaign in the state.

Inclement weather continued to play spoilsport in electioneering in Himachal Pradesh keeping political parties on tenterhooks over the visits of VVIPs for campaigning for February 26 assembly polls.

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Uncertainity hovered over the scheduled rallies of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Mandi and Shimla tomorrow while the rallies of Congress president Sonia Gandhi scheduled for today have already been cancelled.

The snowfall has virtually grounded the campaign in the high altitude areas where people are forced to stay indoors. Vehicular traffic has been badly hampered and the leaders are not able to stick to their schedule for holding meetings.

Gujarat Chief Minister Marendra Modi has to reschedule his campaign programme while the visit of BJP president Venkiah Naidu was cancelled due to bad weather. A host of top leaders of the BJP and the Congress were set to storm the state in the final leg of electioneering closing on February 24, but bad weather has upset their plans.