The month-long, high-pitched campaigning for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Poll came to an end on Friday evening. It was a day of frantic political activity as leaders made last-ditch efforts to woo the voters.

Congress stalwart and HPCC President Virbhadra Singh seeks public support for former forest minister Ram Lal Thakur at Naina Devi Assembly segment (Bilaspur) and also held a major rally at Nirmand in Ani assembly segment (Kullu).

However, BJP leader in its press communiqué tried to play on LPG price card in which he criticised the Congress-led UPA government’s move to first increase the LPG price and then quickly rolls back the hike. He predicted that the union government would increase the LPG price to Rs. 1,400 per cylinder after the assembly elections.

Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh was also in state capital and condemns the BJP for running a malicious campaign against Virbhadra Singh.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has ordered outsiders to leave the state, even as patrolling along border areas has been intensified. Vehicles are being searched randomly to check last-minute use of liquor and money.

All 68 constituencies in the state will witness voting on November 4. Sixty companies of central paramilitary forces will be deployed on the polling day. Counting will be held on December 20.