Assembly Election 2017: PM Narendra Modi addreses rally in Himachal Pradesh's Dhaula Kuan in Paonta Sahib
Traditional rivals - the Congress and the BJP - will be locking horns in 68 constituencies in Himachal Pradesh tomorrow. This time, 337 candidates including 62 MLAs are in the poll fray. Among the heavy weights are Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, eight Chief Parliamentary secretaries, Deputy Speaker Jagat Singh Negi, 10 ministers and over a dozen former ministers.
Here are the highlights of PM Modi's address in Himachal:
Over 180 independents and a dozen rebels of the Congress including former ministers Singhi Ram (Rampur) and Vijay Singh Mankotia (Shahpur) are in the fray.
A total of 50,25,941 voters are eligible to cast their vote.
Congress had fielded two independents from Paonta Sahib and Kangra and the BJP has fielded four Congressmen including former minister Anil Sharma and given ticket to on Independent from Chopal.
Dharamsala will see 12 candidates pitting against each other, the maximum number of contestants in a constituency. On the other hand, Jhanduta will see a straight contest.
Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mansa Ram would be contesting for the 11th straight time from Karsog (SC).
There are 19 women in the poll fray, six from the BJP and three from the Congress and the rest are contesting from various other parties or as independents.
Interestingly, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has changed his constituency to Arki, to make way for his son Vikramadita Singh and former chief minister PK Dhumal too has changed his battleground to Sujanpur this year.
While The BJP went all guns blazing at the Congress, hitting the Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for corruption, the Congress took them on over the issues of GST and demonetisation.
The 12 days of campaign were electrifying and saw over 450 rallies by the campaigners. While Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addressed three rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed seven rallies and BJP chief Amit Shah too pitched in for six rallies to sway the voters of the hill state to their side.
Apart from the arch rivals - the BJP and the Congress, which are competing on all 68 seats, the BSP is contesting on 42 seats, followed by the CPI(M) which has fielded 14 candidates. Swabhiman Party and Lok Gathbandhan Party have fielded six candidates each and there are three candidates from the CPI.
The Election Commission today barred exit polls related to Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat assembly elections starting 8 am on November 9 till 6 pm on December 14.
Invoking its powers under Section 126A of the Representation of People Act, 1951, the poll panel has barred exit poll in connection with the two state assembly elections between the notified period.
Voting in Himachal Pradesh is scheduled to be held in a single phase on November 9 while in Gujarat, voting will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14.
The Congress and the BJP are returning to power alternately since 1985.
There are 50,25.941 voters in the state including 25,31,321 men and 24,57,032 women.
338 candidates will try their luck in the assembly election scheduled for November 9. Along with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, 10 ministers, eight Chief Parliamentary secretaries have thrown their hat in the ring.
Virbhadra Singh is a six-time chief minister in Himachal Pradesh, while Prem Kumar Dhumal has held the post twice. The two have taken turns at the helm of the state from 1993. Virbhadra Singh will be fighting for the Arki seat, after giving the ticket for the Shimla rural seat to his son Vikramaditya Singh, who will be contesting the election for the first time.
Himachal Pradesh will go to elections on November 9, with the polls expected to be a two-way battle between the incumbent Congress government and the BJP. Congress announced veteran Virbhadra Singh as their chief ministerial candidate, while BJP recently announced that Prem Kumar Dhumal will lead the party in Himachal Pradesh.
More than 50 candidates contesting the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections have criminal cases pending against them, with the highest number belonging to the Bharatiya Janta Party.
Rahul Gandhi meets Gujarat Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani
Former TMC leader Mukul Roy joins BJP
'Fight between Congress and BJP is a fight between truth and lies'
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today drew an analogy with the Pandava-Kaurava tussle in the epic Mahabharata and said that the fight between his party and the BJP in Gujarat was one between "truth and lies", where the truth lay on the Congress's side. He also said that while the Prime Minster was armed with his "government, police, army, governments in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh", he had truth on his side "and we need nothing other than truth".
'You may not enter the temple as a Bhakt but you will leave as one'
Describing the Akshardham Temple as beautiful and ahead of its times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that even though people may not enter the temple as 'Bhakts' they would definitely leave as one.
Prime Minister Modi also enjoyed some cultural programmes that were organised at the Akshardham temple on its silver jubilee.
PM Modi's Akshardham visit was announced by the Bochasanwasi Shri Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). In April this year, the prime minister had paid an emotional tribute to spiritual guru and head of BAPS of Swaminarayan sect Pramukh Swami who died at the sect's temple in Sarangpur in Botad district.
PM Narendra Modi reaches Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar for silver jubilee celebrations.
Here is what PM Modi said during his address to the people in Dhaula Kuan of Paonta Sahib:
- Next election, this wont remain a field, in a few years, there will be an IIM here
- Even the public knows that the BJP govt is going to be in power
- The Himachal Pradesh election is such that even Congress knows they'll be wiped out
- Ask the public, ask the children of Himachal Pradesh, what is Virbhadra's government accomplishment
- The answer to every question is corruption
- Whose money is being looted? yours, Himachals
- They should be held accountable but the money is locked up in boxes now
- Because of the Congress, corruption spread like termites and have made India hollow
- Time to get rid of the termites of corruption and reclaim what is rightfully yours
- Himachal Pradesh is at the crossroads where it must ensure that no corrupt 'Hand' can stake a claim in Himachal's rights.
- Our vision is to give Himachal a corruption-free government
- Congress party and its members are famous for one thing: Corruption
- Our vision is to give Himachal a govt that doesn't let anyone claw their coffers
- We have pioneered the removal of corruption from its roots in the country
- Himachal Pradesh is 'Veer Bhoomi'. Contributions and sacrifices of our jawans are invaluable
- We are proud of our jawans. How can Congress leaders speak about 'Azadi' and question, insult the sacrifices of our jawans
- Congress is a party that now deals only with 'Bhrashtachaar' (corruption), 'Pariwaarwaad' (family), 'Jaatiwaad' (appeasement of castes)
- The Congress party of today has nothing in common with the one that Mahatma Gandhi was part of
- Today, Congress is only about one family and its protection
- They question anything that any Indian would be proud of... be it our soldiers keeping the nation safe from Jammu and Kashmir, or in the northeast
- The entire nation is witness to how the Doklam issue was dealt with, but the Congress even questioned that
- Someone born in a family which has ruled for decades doesn't believe his own Army and agencies? Instead, meets China's envoy and asks about Doklam.
There are 5
mafias in Himachal that have flourished under the Congress:
- The Khanan (Mining) mafia
- The Jungle (Forest) mafia - depleting the vans (jungles) of India
- Drug mafia - one that ruins our youth and casts a shadow on the state's bright future... takes away the dreams of children and parents alike... I appeal to all mothers... vote correctly.. you give birth to Vir Purush's (brave men), not drug addicts.
- Tender mafia - who gets the tenders? Yes, you got it right... someone's brother, someone's son-in-law, someone's relative... tell me, hasn't it become a crime to not be related to someone in power? Are you all not suffering? We stand for progress for all, not progress for the relative...
- Transfer mafia - You want to get a comfortable posting, pay a bribe, be the highest bidder and get the place of your choice... this has completely ruined the state and its potential
People watching PM Modi speaking in Rehan of the Kangra district in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh .
- This is Dev Bhoomi, people here know how the Rakshas used to put a hinderance and trouble the people, stop progress and cause harm... but they knew that the Rakshas' would ultimately be defeated by the Devs
- They know that they can feel secure and safe that the Devs will protect them
- Tell me, Has the time not come to get rid of the Danavs from this Dev Bhoomi
- Time to make Dev Bhoomi truly a Dev bhoomi by choosing good over evil and progress over corruption
- I think the Congress has become a laughing club
- Their chief minister has serious corruption allegations against him, Is on bail
- In spite of this, they appear in front of the media to present their manifesto claiming "zero tolerance" to corruption
- Had it been anyone, they would run away and hide their face
- Would even a child in Himachal believe that the Congress has "zero tolerance" to corruption?
- This country has suffered enough under decades of Congress rule, they have now decided not to spare the Congress
- State after state, people across the nation have taken it upon themselves to eradicate the Congress which has put them through so much misery
Here is what PM Modi said during his address to the people in Rehan of Kangra district:
- I urge you to press the button and ensure that the party you love returns to power
- On the 9th, It is time to bid farewell to those who have looted Himachal
- When you press the button on that voting machine on the 9th of this month, take a moment and think about the great freedom fighter - Wazir Ram Singh Pathania
- You'll automatically press the correct button after that
- In your heart you will know which is the right choice to make
- I can sense the love you all have for the BJP
- In fact, I was telling my colleagues, why do you want to send me. We are winning Himachal anyway
- People in Himachal love their local BJP leaders so much that I am not required
- PM Modi will address two election rallies in Himachal Pradesh
- First rally in Rehan in the Kangra district
- Second in Dhaula Kuan in the Paonta Sahib
- He will also address rallies in Sundernagar in Mandi, Rait in Shahpur and Palampur in Kangra district on November 4
- And in Kullu and Una on November 5
- Himachal Pradesh goes to polls on November 9
People gathered in Rehan of Kangra district, where PM Modi will address the rally shortly
