By IANS
Shimla : Snow, rain and intense cold wave crippled the last phase of election campaign in Himachal Pradesh Monday.
It was frustrating day for politicians and their supporters who were out in large numbers for election campaign, but due to the harsh weather people turn- out at election rallies was low.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had to call off his election rallies in Tissa and Saloni due to bad weather.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal had to cancel his election rallies at a couple of places, including at Rohru, the assembly constituency of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, as his helicopter could not land due to foggy weather.
CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat was barely able to keep his date with the state by holding a public rally in the state capital Shimla amidst snowfall.
CPI(M) has fielded Sanjay Chauhan from Shimla. The fight is expected to be a close one for the BJP, Congress and the CPI (M).
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Congress spokesman Anand Sharma, arrived here Monday, which also happens to be his hometown.
Sharma joined local candidate Harbajan Singh Bhajji’s campaign.
“Finance Minister P. Chidambaram’s recent announcements in Shimla of opening an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and laying of a railway track in Una district will benefit the party,” Sharma said.