Shimla: Rubbishing reports about the ruling party using money power in the bye-elections, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal let a select media know here today Congress fearing loss of its traditional vote bank was resorting to cheap politics in attempting to defame the BJP.
He said that while BJP was seeking a vote on the issue of development, seeing the writing on the wall Congress is now resorting to hooliganism and goondaism.
“Rather than campaigning Congress leaders were busy only in holding press conferences,†he said.
An Rs 85,500 amount, which has been blown out of proportion about money power being distributed to woo voters, was actually meant for meeting the expenditure of booth level workers on polling day,†said Dhumal.
Defending Sukh Ram Chaudhary, chief parliamentary secretary, the chief minister said that the BJP legislator was being targeted by Congress workers simply because he had made a dent in their stronghold.
On Chaudhary being implicated in a liquor haul found at a rest house where the legislator was staying, Dhumal said that “he is a man who does not even touch liquor or cigarettes and the Congress is unfairly targeting him.â€
“We are open for any kind of inquiry and also for deployment of central forces so that the elections are fair and smooth,†he added.
Congress upbeat about bye-election
Earlier in the day state Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur said that BJP had misused government machinery and used money power to influence the poll.
Despite all their tactics, we will put up a good show and win both the seats; he let media persons know here.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.
In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.
