Panchkula: Campaigning ends amid final tussle by political parties

Chandigarh: On the last day of campaigning, Member of Parliament Anurag Thakur targeted the Congress over “hollow promises”, while the party’s candidate from Panchkula seat Chander Mohan claimed that the BJP’s 10-year “misrule” in the state will end on October 8, the day of the election results. Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party held a roadshow in the city to show its strength. Thakur today offered prayers at the Mata Mansa Devi temple on the first Navratri. He said the Congress is making hollow promises just like it did in Himachal Pradesh. The former Union minister called the Congress anti-farmer. “The Congress has deceived voters in Himachal Pradesh by lying during the elections. It gave 10 guarantees in Himachal Pradesh and formed the government, but did not fulfill a single guarantee. The Congress government assured farmers of buying cow dung at Rs 2 per kg and milk at Rs 100 per litre, but has not bought a single litre of milk or dung till now,” he alleged. The Hamirpur MP said the Congress had also promised free electricity and water to the people but on the contrary made it costlier by imposing cess.

He claimed 23 lakh women of Himachal Pradesh are still waiting for the Rs 1500 per month assured by the Congress. Thakur said the Congress government in Haryana has failed to implement the Swaminathan Committee report for farmers. “I ask Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Bhupinder Singh Hooda why they did not implement the Swaminathan Committee report when they were in power in Haryana? Why did they not implement the MSP guarantee despite being in power for 10 years in the state?” He said while addressing a gathering of people and Congress workers here today, Congress candidate and former Deputy Chief Minister Chandermohan said Panchkula Assembly has not developed in the last 10 years. He said the BJP has failed to provide security to traders. He said, “Under the BJP rule, there is no city in Haryana where traders have not paid ransom out of fear. If Congress forms the government, traders will get a safe environment to do business.” Mohan said that with the formation of the Congress government, the 10-year misrule of the BJP will end.

He said that Congress has made many schemes for the youth, women and the elderly and it is necessary to have a strong government in Haryana to implement its manifesto. He visited Sector 4, 11, 20, 2, 23 and 25, Indira Colony and Rajiv Colony, MDC Sector 4, Jalauli village, Khatauli, Asarewali and Bishnoi Bhawan. AAP held a mega road show in Panchkula city in favour of party candidate Prem Garg. Former Punjab minister and Lok Sabha MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer was also present on the occasion along with party spokesperson Surendra Rathi. A convoy of hundreds of vehicles participated in the road show. Rathi said this time AAP will be the kingmaker while Garg will emerge as the winner in Panchkula constituency. Meet Hayer said AAP has also reduced domestic electricity bills of people to zero in Punjab. “Earlier there used to be eight-hour power cuts in Delhi, but in (Arvind) Kejriwal’s government people are getting 24-hour power,” he said. Praising the AAP governments in Punjab and Delhi, he said people in these states get free treatment in government hospitals. Chandigarh gives special leave to factory workers on Oct 5 Chandigarh: The UT administration has directed factories, shops and commercial establishments in the city to grant special casual leave to employees registered as voters in Haryana so that they can exercise their franchise on polling day, October 5. Such employees are entitled to get the benefit of extended paid leave under Section 135-B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. TNS