Hamirpur/Shimla/Palampur, Nov.4 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress Party on Sunday exuded confidence about forming respective governments in Himachal Pradesh,where voters are casting their ballots till 5 p.m.
Elections are being held for 68 seats, 42 of which were won by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2007 election. Security arrangements were in place. Over 16,000 security personnel were deployed at more than 7,000 polling stations in the state.
Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal said he was confident about the return of his government to power.
"We have lot of hopes and I have confidence that we will again form government with huge majority," said Dhumal in Hamirpur.
Dhumal clarified that by levelling false allegations at the last moment will not change the voting pattern and people will cast their votes based on the developmental works done by the BJP government in the last five years.
"Levelling of allegations is a part and parcel of the job at the time of elections. Politicians have the misconception that allegations levelled at the last moment will affect the voting pattern but people cast their votes on the basis of work done in the last five years. Leaders who have done good work are appreciated and politicians who have indulged in corruption are also remembered. And then people cast their votes silently after taking all these things into account," said Dhumal.
Speaking on similar lines, BJP youth wing chief, Anurag Thakur said their government will make history in Himachal Pradesh by returning to power.
"I think we have done good work in Himachal Pradesh, we are banking on our achievements in the last five years and I personally believe that Himachal is going to make a history. Let's not go into the numbers but I can say that we are going to get about two-third majority," said Thakur.
The rampant corruption seems to have surpassed the anti-incumbency factor.
The BJP and the Congress are contesting all 68 seats, while the BSP has fielded 66 candidates followed by Himachal Lokhit Party (36), Trinamool Congress (25), Samajwadi Party (16), Communist Party if India- Marxist (15), National Congress Party and Swabhiman Party (12 each), Communist Party of India (7), Shiv Sena (4) and 105 Independents.
Simultaneously, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma cast his vote in Shimla and said that Congress will form a transparent and answerable government in the state.
"Congress government has carried out developmental works in Himachal Pradesh and we are confident that after the change a power, a stable government under the guidance of Congress will be formed in the state and that government will be transparent, answerable and will carry out all the works promised by the leaders," said Sharma.
Sharma also slammed the provincial ruling BJP government for playing cheap political gimmicks by promising to provide induction cookers for each household.
"The chief minister (Prem Kumar Dhumal) is playing political games. They are promising free induction cookers to the public, why don't they ask for votes on the basis of the work done by them in the last five years, why they now answering as to what have they done in the last five years? Secondly, giving induction cookers is easy but along with that people will also have to buy utensils worth thousand, will Dhumal or BJP provide those utensils in each house and every kitchen? Will their government pay the electricity bill of every house? This is a cheap political gimmick to misguide people and garner votes," said Sharma.
The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on December 20.
Bharatiya Janata Party is making several attempts to seek another term for Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Prem Kumar Dhumal, who is leading the campaign.
Former federal minister and Congress leader Virbhadra Singh, who was also five times Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, would contest from Shimla (rural).(ANI)
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