Thunderstorm predicted, campaigning may be hit

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 15

The political parties are apprehensive of inclement weather playing spoilsport towards close of electioneering for four Lok Sabha seats going to polls on May 19 as local MeT office has warned of thunderstorm accompanied with hailstorm and gusty winds at isolated places in mid and lower hills on May 16 and 17, the last two days of campaigning.

The MeT office has also warned of rains and thunderstorm in mid and lower hills and rains or snow in higher hills at many places in higher hills on May 16 and 17, keeping political parties on tenterhooks. AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi could not reach for party rally at Sundernagar yesterday due to bad weather while programmes of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and former Chief M0inister Virbhadra Singh had to be rescheduled due to bad weather last week.

Since most of the star campaigners are using helicopter for campaigning in Himachal, clear weather conditions are a must for takeoff and landing of choppers. Most of the star campaigners have already held rallies in Himachal and only Smriti Irani and Home minister Rajnath Singh would address rallies in the state tomorrow. Electioneering will come to a close on May 17.

Meanwhile, Himachal had widespread rains during the last 24 hours and strong winds swept the region under partially over cast sky, causing marginal drop in day temperatures. Dharampur was the wettest in the region with 25 mm rains followed by Banjar 16 mm, Manali 12 mm, Shimla and Kufri 7 mm, Seobagh, Mashobra and Janjehli 6 mm and Saloni and Kumarsien 5 mm.

The local MeT office has predicted wet spell in the region over next five days up to May 20.