Addressing a press conference here today, Himachal Transport and Tribal Development Minister Krishan Kapoor said the BJP government was committed to treating the farming community in the entire state on a par.``We will shortly announce a desirable support price for potato, keeping in view the needs of potato-growers in lower parts of Himachal,'' he said, condemning the Congress leader from Nagrota G. S. Bali for accusing the BJP of harming the interests of potato producers in the area.

``In fact, the potato crises was created by the previous Congress government last year. The insincere Congress government never took on the responsibility to set things right for the poor farmers,'' Kapoor commented.

The transport minister came down heavily on the Congress leadership for giving misleading statements regarding mass transfers by the BJP government in the last month in Kangra district:``Dhumal government does not have a transfer development corporation in secretariat or transfer agents in Himachal like Virbhadra. We have only looked into the problems of those employees who were deliberately harassed by the previous government on political considerations,'' Kapoor explained.

The minister claimed that some Congress MLAs were in constant touch with the BJP government as they were ``fed up of Virbhadra's dictats and his perspective. It may not come as a surprise if these Congressmen break away in favour of BJP at a point of time in future,'' he said.

Krishan Kapoor said the delay in submission of resignation of HVC president did not smell of anything fishy going on in the alliance. ``Sukh Ram has agreed to resign, unlike the Congress minister Ram Lal Thakur who had described charges of alleged molestation of a Delhi journalist as nothing serious.

Earlier, inaugurating the 187th meeting of the standing committee of Supplies and Contract to the association's state transport undertaking, the minister asked the experts to focus on the transport modalities keeping in view the geographical and road conditions in hills. He said the committee should arrive at a decision on supply and purchase of all machinery and spares of the road transport with due attention to their value, utility, guarantee and quality.

Kapoor said the transport industry was not given proper importance by the previous Central Government so right infrastructure could not be built up in this sector.

``The BJP promises to make it consumer-friendly and a good institution in Himachal'', Kapoor added.

The chairman of the All India Standing Committee and managing director of Kerala State Transport Krishan Akurti said a permanent body should be constituted to look into the fare hike from time to time genuinely.

``The transport industry is basically dependent on the government for subsidy. The system needs to be changed for better functioning, but there has to be a political will for this, which is at present lacking in the country'', he said.