In Himachal Pradesh, with less than a week left for the Assembly polls, campaigning is in full swing. Star campaigners of major political parties are criss-crossing the state to address election rallies to win voters' confidence in their party's favour. The leaders of two major political parties Congress and BJP have intensified their attacks on each other. The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed an election rally at Una today while BJP senior leader Lal Krishan Advani started his campaign at Amb in Una district. BSP President Mayawati has also been on electioneering trails in the state for the last three days.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh while highlighting the liberal economic assistance given by the Centre to Himachal Pradesh accused the state government of failing to utilise the central assistance. On the other hand, the BJP senior leader, L.K. Advani levelled allegation of discrimination by the centre against the state.

Prime Minister said that under the various schemes during the last three year, central assistance to Himachal Pradesh has been increased by 30 per cent. In addition to this, amount of special economic package given to the state has been increased from 200 crore to 900 crore rupees during the period. He rued that the state govt. is not properly utilizing it for the overall development of the state. He said the state could spent only eight crore rupees out of 142 crore rupees given under the National Rural Health Mission.

He also blamed the state govt. for using the free ambulance services provided by the Centre under NRHM after renaming it as Atal Swastheya Seva Yojna just to take credit of the central schemes.

On the other hand, Senior BJP leader, Lal Krishan Advani blamed the Centre for reducing the period of special industrial package given to Himachal Pradesh by NDA. He claimed that the BJP government has done much more development in the statement in the last five years as compared to the rule of Congress for decades.