The Leader of Opposition in Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur has leveled serious allegations against the ruling Congress party, claiming it is using intimidatory tactics to win the three upcoming Assembly bypolls in the state.
Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Thakur said various reports have emerged over the past few days of the state administration putting pressure on voters and BJP supporters in Dehra, Hamirpur and Nalagarh constituencies.
He claimed some persons said to be from the Criminal Investigation Department have been closely monitoring the movements of BJP candidate Hoshiyar Singh, which he termed as unacceptable.
Thakur urged the Election Commission of India to closely watch the conduct of the byelections and ensure a level playing field for all candidates. “The poll body should prevent any attempts to influence voters through fear or inducements,” he added.
The Leader of Opposition also took a dig at Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, alleging his administration was going overboard in trying to help the Congress candidate, who happens to be the CM’s wife, in Dehra.
It remains to be seen if the EC institutes adequate safeguards to uphold the sanctity of the electoral process during the upcoming bypolls, with voting scheduled for later this month. The testing byelections will offer insight into how the people of Himachal Pradesh view the new Congress government.
