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EC has its own agenda, says CM

SHIMLA: Hot on the heels of the Election Commission’s categorical declaration on Wednesday ruling out a change in the dates for the upcoming Himachal Assembly elections, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has challenged its original decision to advance the polls in he hill State by two months.

Addressing a hurriedly called press conference here on Thursday, Mr. Virbhadra Singh said the Election Commission had its own agenda. It had been totally unkind to him, he charged.

He said in his long political career he had never come across another instance of the State Government not being consulted before the announcement of election dates.

Questioning the timing of the announcement of elections by the Election Commission and “premature implementation of the election code”, he said, “I had to announce so many concessions for the benefit of people here.”

In his first interaction with the media after his return from abroad, he said the prospect of a Constitutional anomaly of having two simultaneous elected assemblies in place had been created by the Election Commission’s decision to advance the polls.

“I would still convene the winter session of the Vidhan Sabha and would not stop the use of State helicopter or tell my Ministers to stop using the official cars,” he said, adding,

“I am the Chief Minister and entitled to this. Nobody can stop me.”

“I will complete my term and no one can defeat us,” said the Chief Minister.

Mr. Virbhadra Singh claimed that there was no division in the ruling party and the elections would be fought unitedly.

“Mr. R. K. Dhawan was misquoted and the Assembly election will be fought under my leadership only,” he said when asked about non-projection of the Chief Minister by the Congress high command.

“There are serious differences within the BJP instead,” he said.

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EC has its own agenda, says CM

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