BJP in celebratory mood, Congress in sombre

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 17

With just a day left for the declaration of results of the state Assembly elections now, most of the leaders have returned to their home towns. Buoyed by exit polls, BJP leaders and their supporters are making preparations for celebrations tomorrow, while the mood in the Congress camp was sombre.

In the Congress camp, only the Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Transport and Technical Education, GS Bali, seemed to be confident of his victory. Bali arrived at Kangra today. His supporters have already prepared for election victory. Sources here said booking had been made for organising a rally at Nagrota Bagwan and feast for supporters to mark the victory of the Congress leader.

While talking to mediapersons at Gaggal airport, Bali said he would respect the verdict of the people, but was confident of his victory. Rajya Sabha member and senior Congress leader Viplove Thakur, who contested as party candidate from Dehra, also arrived from Delhi today.

Other Congress leaders remained huddled with their supporters keeping their fingers crossed. The Minister for Urban Development also arrived at Dharamsala today and held a meeting with his supporters at the office of Rubru, an NGO being run under his patronage.

BJP leader Kishan Kapoor held a meeting of his supporters at his residence in Dharamsala. His supporters are confident of his victory.

Many of the BJP leaders like Rakesh Pathania went to Gujarat to campaign for the party and also to create the ground for their induction in the Cabinet in case they were elected and the party was voted to power. Former CM Shanta Kumar would not be in Kangra district tomorrow, sources said. He was in Delhi to attend the winter session of Parliament. The results of the Palampur Assembly constituency are going to evoke interest of people as Indu Goswami, president of the mahila wing of the state BJP, was contesting there. She was considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and got the party ticket against the wishes of Shanta Kumar. Shanta loyalist and former BJP MLA Parveen Sharma was contesting from Palampur as an Independent.

The other Assembly election that is going to invoke interest of people is Dehra where an industrialist Hoshiar Singh was contesting as an Independent and was giving a tough fight to senior BJP leader Ravinder Ravi and Viplove Thakur of the Congress.