Other States - Uttaranchal   

Farmers happy; parties upset

Staff Correspondent

DEHRA DUN: Incessant rain and snow in the higher reaches of the hills including Mussoorie, Dhanaulti, Munsyari and Naini Tal has been widely welcomed by farmers and all roads seem to be heading to these destinations as tourists rush to have a date with snow.

The natural phenomenon was not, however, a happy one for the major political parties - the Congress and the BJP -- as the air trips for rallies to Rudrapur, Pithoragarh and Hardwar by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and to Chakrata and Vikasnagar by former Deputy Prime Minister L.K.Advani had to be cancelled.

The BJP has changed plans and asked its senior leaders to reach accessible areas of the State by train and road. "We hope to reach out to the remote villages despite hostile weather conditions," said former Union Minister B. C. Khanduri.

The Congress is reported to be planning a similar exercise where star campaigners are being asked to reach their destinations by rail and road.

Canvassing at the local level has been badly hit with people confining themselves to their homes and a few political workers braving it out in the rain and icy winds.

A number of social activists wanted Parliament to legislate the holding of elections in Uttarakhand in May as that was a period when weather was good and the people, especially students, free of the examinations burden.

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