Parties reached their destinations.
CHAMBA: After the ending of electioneering for the Bharmaur (Tribal) seat of the district, the stage is all set for the smooth conduct of poll in the constituency on November 14, which may invite a poor turn out this time due to bad weather and temporary shifting of majority gaddis (shepherds) from their homes to the plains in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana for pastures.
Leaders of various political parties held rallies during last fifteen days in all parts of the constituency and exhorted people to vote in favor of the respective parties.
While the Congress leaders demanded votes on plank of development, the BJP exposed the Congress on issue of corruption and the development. BSP lambasted both parties for being anti Tribal people and gave a clarion call to the people to support their candidate.
After the ending of campaign as per the Election rules this evening, now the workers have fanned into their respective areas on the door to door campaign to have a final assault on their rivals. Leaders of BJP and Congress both expressed optimism that they would win the seat. However, they are upset with the bad weather and fear of poor turn out due to shifting of gaddis to the plains along with their herds for pastures. This is first time that these gaddis are not taking part in the voting due to their absence from their homes.
There are five candidates in the fray from this seat. However, the main fight is between Thakur Singh Bharmauria of Congress and Tulsi Ram of BJP. Both have been fighting this seat for the seventh time of which Bharmauria has won four times and Tulsi Ram two times.
The polling parties have reached their destinations by this evening as they were dispatched well in advance to the respective polling stations by the district election agency. Pushpendra Rajput, the district election officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner of Chamba is optimistic that the elections will be free and fair as necessary steps had already been taken by the administration for the smooth conduct of the election.
He told this reporter that all borders of the district with Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir had been sealed. Doda is the worst militancy affected district of Jammu belt.
A visit to constituency reveals that people there are upset with the role of all political parties. However, a wave of change seems in the area.
People of the ten gram panchayats of the area that are backward are unhappy with the successive state governments for not giving them the status of Tribal on analogy of people of other parts of Bharmaur. People in these areas don’t give their mind to outsiders and speak in their own language when any one from outside tries to seek their version on this vital issue.
