BJP afraid of CM’s popularity: Cong

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 19

Condemning Union Law and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for making false allegations against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh during his visit to Shimla, Congress ministers said fearing humiliating defeat in the upcoming Assembly elections due to popularity of Virbhadra Singh, the BJP was resorting to malicious propaganda against the CM and the state government.

In a statement issued here today, Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri and Urban Development and Town and Country Planning Minister Sudhir Sharma asked had the government had lost popularity, the entire BJP battery would not have been camping in Himachal.

They said as the CM was the biggest hurdle in their design to grab the power, BJP leaders were hatching conspiracies to defame him.

They said the Union Government had failed on every front and, therefore, the BJP leaders had nothing to count in its election campaign except targeting the CM.

They said it was surprising that a single income tax case was being investigated by three central agencies to harass him. It appeared that the BJP leaders did not want the Chief Minister to defend his case.

Dharamsala was chosen to be developed as smart city by the Modi government but no work had been started.

On the allegations of the Union minister regarding the failure of the state government in preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) of 61 roads, they said the criticism of the state government was unwarranted as it had made enough progress and the remaining approvals were to be given by the Government of India.

They said technical bids had been opened for 42 roads and financial evaluation of 10 roads had also been done.