This Week Himachal Pradesh: Hamirpur glows in silver

The Olympic silver medal has brought a windfall to shooter Vijay Kumar and his home district,Hamirpur

Hamirpur glows in silver

The Olympic silver medal has brought a windfall to shooter Vijay Kumar and his home district,Hamirpur. The government has announced a world-class shooting range there and will also build an indoor stadium at Rs 6.64 crore. These will be in addition to a synthetic track under a statewide sports scheme already launched. Vijay Kumar has been rewarded with Rs 1 crore and the chief minister has recommended his name to the PM for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award,besides conferring the Himachal Gaurav Samman,the states highest civilian honour,on the Army subedar. The CM has offered him a job should he wish to quit the Army. The shooter has made it clear he has no such wish.

Ready for poll season

The poll atmosphere should set in by next month. Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath has led a team to Shimla and met leaders of parties,DCs and SPs of all districts and the chief secretary,leading to speculation that the dates will be announced by mid-September. The expectation is two phases of polling beginning early November. Two-phase polls brought the BJP to power in 2007 and the Congress would rather have simultaneous polls in all 68 constituencies,including the three in snowy Kinnaur,Lahaul-Spiti and Bharmour. Normally all high mountain passes including Rohtang are closed from November 15 every year. The EC wants to ensure polling in that belt is completed before the snow arrives.

Dhumals seat search

Bamson,the constituency that voted Prem Kumar Dhumal twice to power with record margins,has ceased to exist and the chief minister has set his eyes on Hamirpur Sadar,now represented by Urmil Thakur. But the two-time MLA,daughter-in-law of late BJP veteran Thakur Jagdev Chand,has made it clear that she would rather not contest than shift to Sujanpur,as is being discussed. Dhumal says his target is not just new records but primarily Mission Repeat 2012,which would break the myth that a ruling party never returns in the state.