Seven in poll arena from Solan, Sirmaur

Tribune News Service

Solan, October 20

Four candidates from Sirmaur and three from Solan, including Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, filed their nominations today amid a show of strength of supporters.

BJP MLA Dr Rajiv Bindal filed his nomination from Nahan. Addressing party workers, he said the local people were questioning what the Congress had done in their 50-year rule. He said the indifference of the Congress had thrown the district into backwardness and it had the highest number of unemployed youth in the state. He said the district had low per capita income and 70 per cent villages were bereft of clean drinking water.

He said the quality of education was suffering and the road density was much less than other areas. He said the district had suffered under the six-term Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s tenures.

Gangu Ram Musafir filed his nomination from the Congress from Pacchad while Balbir Chauhan from Renukaji and Sukhram Chaudhary from Paonta Sahib, both from the BJP, also filed their papers in Sirmaur.

Musafir, while addressing workers, urged them to work in unison to ensure the victory of the party.

Virbhadra Singh filed his nomination from Arki while in Solan, DR Shandil, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, filed his nomination and Vinod Sultanpuri from the Congress filed his nomination for the Kasauli seat.

When asked about a probable conflict of interest while contesting against his own son-in-law, Shandil said he would carry forward the duty entrusted to him by the high command and so would his son-in-law. Vinod Sultanpuri, while vouching for a positive campaign, said he did not believe in saying negative things about the other candidates.