Virbhadra Singh slams BJP's claims of winning Himachal polls

Shimla: With just a day left for poll results to be declared in Himachal Pradesh, the chief minister of the state and Congress leader Virbhadra Singh mocked at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for claiming its victory in the state.

Singh, who is longest-serving and fourth chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, averred that Congress would come to power in the state.

"I am waiting for the results. I am expecting that Congress party will get victory. BJP is targeting above 50 or 60 seats of total 68. This is just a dream. Let them dream. Nobody is stopping them," he said.

Rejecting the exit polls that predicted BJP's victory in the hill state, the chief minister said, "Exit polls are fraud, and not based on facts. It has been manipulated."

Singh, who has been serving as the chief minister of the state since 2012, said that the state has witnessed a rapid development in the last five years.

"Congress party has always fought elections on the basis of development and there is no doubt that during the last five years state has seen rapid development. Our success and efforts has been acclaimed by the Central government and all the agencies," he added.

Polling for 68 seats of Himachal Pradesh was held on November 9 recording 74.61 per cent voter turnout, the highest-ever in the state.

The counting of the votes will be done on December 18. The counting will begin at 8 in the morning and results are expected by afternoon.

Earlier on Thursday, the exit polls had suggested a change of political guard in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state.

The Congress party is currently in power in hill state and the BJP is aiming to return to power after a gap of five years.