CM favours election for party posts

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 28

Even as state Congress president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu assured impartial organisational elections through consensus, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said elections were like an umbilical cord and the party was the biggest casualty when you had nominated leaders holding posts.

The comments by the two leaders have come at a crucial time when the stage is set for party polls, the process for which will be initiated with the filing of membership forms by May 15.

Virbhadra, who has remained president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) on four occasions, has been vocal in criticising the bogus membership drive and rigged elections held in the past.

“It is in the larger interest of the party that the office-bearers, right from block to the AICC level, are elected, not necessarily through voting but even through consensus,” said Virbhadra. He said a plenary session of the AICC was held where almost half of the members to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) were elected, which ensured that merit was not ignored.

Sukhu, after losing the Assembly elections in December 2012 from Nadaun in Hamirpur, was nominated as the HPCC chief much against the wishes of Virbhadra.

Though the two later developed a good working relationship and backed each other on most occasions, now it remains to be seen whether Virbhadra, who has a sizeable following in the party setup, will back Sukhu.

Sukhu seems to be keen on a second term, whether it is by way of nomination or consensus, for which Virbhadra’s support is a must.

Sukhu, addressing a meeting of the State Executive of the HPCC, said he would ensure that the party elections were held through consensus and in impartial manner.

The AICC Secretary and in-charge for Himachal Raja Rampal was also present.