National

Cong. to field most of its MLAs in H.P.

By Javed M. Ansari

NEW DELHI JAN. 7. The Congress has decided to field most of its sitting MLAs in Himachal Pradesh for the coming Assembly elections. This was decided by the party's strategy committee, headed by Manmohan Singh, at its meeting on Monday

The party also decided to focus the election campaign on issues such as corruption, lack of governance and lack of transparency in the signing of MoUs on hydroelectric projects. The idea is not only to concentrate on local issues, but also to prevent the BJP from replicating the "Gujarat formula". "Himachal is not Gujarat and we will stop them in their tracks," says the former Chief Minister, Veerbhadra Singh.

The party high command held a series of meetings with PCC leaders as well as other major players like Mr. Singh, all aimed at pushing the State unit to get its act together.

The AICC secretary-general, Mohsina Kidwai, had an extended session with the PCC chief, Vidya Stokes, Mr. Singh and other State leaders. However, the Congress is yet to decide on the twin issue of an alliance with Sukh Ram's Himachal Vikas Party (HVP) and the question of whether or not to project its chief ministerial candidate.

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