BJP protests at booth level, seeks CM’s resignation

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 27

BJP workers today held demonstration at booth level to seek resignation of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for collapse of law and order situation, especially in the Kotkhai minor rape and murder case and also burnt his effigy.

The BJP has given a 48-hour ultimatum to Chief Minister to resign on moral grounds and announced to burn his effigy and hold demonstration at all the polling booths today.

The call for staging demonstrations at all 7,497 polling booths given by state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti and former Chief Minister P K Dhumal evoked massive response and thousands of workers participated in the protest, senior BJP leaders claimed.

The BJP has been pressing for the resignation of the Chief Minister for the past few months but its campaign got impetus following rape and murder of a minor girl in Kotkhai. The party is trying to encash public sentiments as people of the area are deeply hurt by the incident. The people are angry over tardy police investigations. The demonstrations have continued even after the handing over of the case to the CBI.

As many as 123 effigies were burnt In Shimla Rural constituency out of which 119 were burnt at booth level and four at ward level while 82 effigies were burnt in Kasumpti constituency (70 at booth level and 12 at ward level. In Shimla Urban constituency 18 effigies were burnt, one in each ward.

Meanwhile, with a view to review the post ‘Parivartan Rath Yatra’ scenario in the state and chalk out future strategy to intensify the campaign against the Congress government, a three-day meeting of the BJP state executive would be held in Shimla from July 28 to 30.

A meeting of state office bearers would be held on July 28 and a civic reception would be given to newly elected Mayor, Deputy Mayor and BJP counselors of Shimla Municipal Corporation.

The meeting to be chaired by state party chief Satpal Singh Satti will be attended by Union Health Minister J P Nadda, former CM P K Dhumal, former CM and Kangra MP Shanta Kumar, party MPs Virender Kashyap, Anurag Thakur and Ram Swaroop Sharma, besides in charge of party affairs Mangal Panday, organising secretary Pawan Rana and other senior leaders.

Executive meet on July 28-30 
With a view to reviewing the post 'Parivartan Rath Yatra' scenario in the state and chalk out future strategy to intensify the campaign against the Congress government, a three-day meeting of the BJP state executive would be held in Shimla from July 28 to 30.