The BJP’s campaign in Himachal Pradesh got some boost when senior party leaders descended on Wednesday, each vowing to help the party recapture power in the state. In rallies held at five places in the state, the BJP leaders took on the UPA government at the Centre and the Congress government in the state. While L.K. Advani addressed a party meeting at Kullu, Rajnath Singh addressed a rally at Solan. Other leaders who came calling were Murli Manohar Joshi at Paonta Sahib and Sushma Swaraj at Nurpur. At Kullu, Advani accused the Centre and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of compromising national interest under pressure from the Left. “The time has come when the country must go for Pokhran-III. The time has come when India must do another nuclear test,” he thundered.Murli Manohar Joshi also spoke on similar lines while party president Rajnath Singh played the Hindu card at Solan. Venkaiah Naidu at Hamirpur and Sushma Swaraj at Nurpur spoke against corruption, assuring voters that their party would ensure a clean and transparent government in the state.“The corrupt and inefficient Congress regime is decidedly on its way out. But together with the assembly polls, we are also preparing for the Lok Sabha midterm polls,” said BJP national vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. The BJP appears to have decided to make corruption its main poll issue, along with unemployment and inflation. During the 2003 elections, the Congress’s main weapon against the BJP was corruption and it paid off. The BJP appears to have learnt the lesson well and is returning the favour this election.Veteran BJP leader Shanta Kumar also joined the campaign. The party is scheduled to release its manifesto on Thursday.After the BJP show of strength, it’s now the Congress’s turn. Party president Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to address rallies in the state on December 11 and 15 at Kangra, Kullu, Una and Shimla.
