Congress stalwart Virbhadra Singh started his campaigning for the bye-poll from Renuka constituency and attacked the BJP for the rising corruption in the state. Union minister alleged that land mafia was active and prime land was being sold off for a song to outsiders. Former Chief Minister addressed a series of rallies at Nainidhar, Naya Panjhor, Gattadhar and Dharva in the Renuka constituency, and said that developmental works had come to a standstill and the condition of roads was deplorable. Health services were suffering and despite a grant of budget worth crores, the state government had failed to spend it on developmental activities. He said the state government had closed 735 schools and this was indicative of their anti-people stance.
He said the largescale corruption prevailing in the state was clear from the fact that some BJP MLAs had opened a front against their own government by constituting a Bhrashtachar Mukti Morcha. Virbhadra Singh received an overwhelming support from the public in his rallies; the Union Minister said the bye-elections would set the mood for the party’s victory in the Vidhan Sabha elections of 2012. Harshwardhan Chauhan, DCC President Sirmaur, former MLA Ajay Bahadur, Rampur MLA Nand Lal and other Congress leaders accompanied him.
