Shimla: Dharamshala – second most happening town, which is also being touted as state's 'half-capital', on Wednesday turned into a 'saffron country' of sorts with the BJP planning a mega 'show of its strength' on Thursday to mark the completion of its one year in the power.
Putting behind its huge set-backs in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh in recent assembly polls, the BJP has mobilised and pooled at resources, at its command, to bring crowd at the event –named as 'Abhaar rally' that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address at local police ground.
"Prime Minister Modi and host of top BJP leaders like party national president Amit Shah, former Deputy PM LK Advani, home minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Ministers of all BJP ruled states had attended my oath ceremony on December 27, 2017, at Shimla's Ridge. It's a great honour that the Prime Minister will be reaching again on December 27 to bless the state. This will be a historic event," Chief Minister
Jai Ram Thakur, who is camping at Dharamshala told the Millennium Post on Wednesday.
The town is decorated with banners, flags, posters in all colours and slogans, and huge hoardings have come up all over the places and en route to rally's venue giving Dharamshala—a town also popular being the abode of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, a saffron look.
The opposition Congress is fuming over massive spending from the government exchequer to make the rally a success and historic one. Entire government machinery from Chief Secretary, DGP to Deputy Commissioner Kangra was involved to organise the rally, which is BJP's show but made as 'government event.'
"The rally will cost Rs 3 crore. More than Rs 70 lakhs have been spent only on building the stage for Prime Minister. The government employees and beneficiaries of different schemes started by the government were being forced to come to the rally," alleged former Congress minister Sudhir Sharma, who was earlier MLA from Dharamshala.
The Congress has prepared a corruption charge-sheet against the government which the party leaders propose to submit to Governor Acharya Devvrat on Thursday highlighting cases of alleged irregularities and corruption during one year rule.
Chief Minister, however, has taken serious offence to the Congress bid to level corruption allegations against the government to score a political point.
"The Congress, if levels baseless and fabricated charges against a clean and well-performing government, will
get a befitting reply," Thakur warned.
All cabinet ministers and MLAs, apart from top state BJP leaders like union health minister JP Nadda, party veteran Shanta Kumar, former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, state BJP president Sat Pal Satti and BJP state in-charge (today shifted as Jharkhand state in charge) have already arrived at Dharamshala.