The Hindu : Other States / Punjab News : Advani, Chautala launch separate poll campaigns

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Monday, Jan 03, 2005

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Other States - Punjab

Advani, Chautala launch separate poll campaigns

By Rajesh Ahuja

CHANDIGARH, JAN. 2. With Vidhan Sabha polls in Haryana only a month away, two key players -- the ruling Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and its erstwhile alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- today launched their separate election campaigns.

While the BJP supremo, L.K. Advani, asserted at a rally at Panipat that his party would contest all the 90 Assembly seats in the State without entering into any alliance with any party, the Haryana Chief Minister and INLD national president, Om Prakash Chautala, said at Bhiwani that the ruling party would easily win the forthcoming polls on its own because his regime had successfully steered Haryana on the path of rapid economic development and initiated a host of welfare schemes.

While categorically ruling out any revival of ties with the INLD, Mr. Advani asserted that the BJP was confident of not only contesting all the 90 seats but also winning a majority in the next House. In a direct message to the audience, he said: "You have tried both the Congress and the INLD and seen their style of functioning. Now give a chance to the BJP to deliver the goods.''

While eulogising the performance of the erstwhile NDA regime at the Centre, he claimed that there were no "shortages'' during the Vajpayee days. Now, six months in saddle, the Congress-led UPA Government had managed to create a regime characterised by "shortages'' which had fuelled inflation.

Mr.Chautala launched a frontal attack on the Congress and said it was opposed to both the farmers and the working class of the State. He charged that the people were now paying dearly for the mistake committed during the Lok Sabha polls as the UPA regime at the Centre was working against the interests of all sections of society, especially the farmers. While the prices of the agricultural inputs were increasing, the Centre had played a cruel joke with the farmers by raising the procurement price of paddy by Rs 10 per quintal.

Regarding distribution of party tickets to the large number of aspirants, Mr. Chautala said that ticket would only be allotted to tried and tested party workers. He also tried to draw emotional response from the people by talking at length about his late father and former Deputy Prime Minister, Devi Lal.

He further alleged that the Congress leaders, who were allegedly collecting money in the name of distributing tickets, were indulging in "character assassination.''

Doling out more promises, he asserted that his regime, if returned to power, would ensure that by April 2006 Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant would be producing 600MW of additional power.

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Advani, Chautala launch separate poll campaigns