Shimla, April 21 (IANS) Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said the BJP is fully prepared for the upcoming local body and municipal corporation elections, and the people have been fed up with the government.
Welcoming the issuance of a notification by the state Election Department, the Leader of Opposition demanded that the election process be completely free and fair, as these elections have already been unnecessarily delayed due to the government machinery’s lax attitude and political pressure, which have hit the grassroots of democracy.
Thakur, attacking the government, said the time has come for the Congress government to answer for the oppressive policies and decisions against public interest it has adopted over the past three years.
“The people of the state, especially mothers and sisters, farmers, orchardists, and the unemployed, are eagerly awaiting the power of their vote because they have been deceived in the name of electoral guarantees and even today they await the fulfilment of promises that never materialised,” Thakur said in a statement.
He said the people will give a befitting reply to the heavy tax burden being imposed by the government, which is working with the sole intention of stalling and delaying work.
“A clear example of this is the Panchayat elections that should have been completed last December, but even six months later, the government’s indifference persists, resulting in a complete halt in rural development. Despite continued Central government assistance, the state government has failed to accelerate development efforts.”
He alleged that the Chief Minister’s control over the administration has also weakened, with corruption rampant and high-ranking officials unchecked.
“The Chief Minister lies, misleads the public, and acts vindictively.”
Thakur also expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, saying that the daily murders and rising crime rate reflected the government’s failure and the failure of the police administration, where officers are embroiled in internal strife rather than crime prevention.
–IANS
vg/dan
