2 HPCC secys resign over CM’s remarks

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 24

The rift between Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and HPCC president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu seems to be widening with two state party secretaries resigning from their posts in protest against the former’s adverse remarks on their functioning.

The secretaries — Pradeep Verma and Kusum Verma — both from the Shimla (rural) Assembly segment represented by Virbhadra, tendered their resignation today. “We are hurt by the statement of the Chief Minister on HPCC secretaries and it is for this reason that we have decided to resign,” they said in a joint press statement.

The Chief Minister has repeatedly been expressing his displeasure on the appointment of so many HPCC secretaries by Sukhu and that too without consulting the local MLA and Block Congress Committee.

The two said they had submitted their resignation to the HPCC president, but would continue to work for the party.

They said Sukhu had appointed them after keeping in mind their hard work and dedication. “We tried to fulfil our responsibilities with utmost honesty and dedication after being appointed as the HPCC secretaries without any remuneration or TA/DA and if the Chief Minister is still not happy, it is better we resign,” they said.

Pradeep and Kusum said they had been working for the party for the last 25-28 years and have served on various positions in the NSUI, Youth Congress, Block Congress Committees, Shimla (rural) constituency. They added that during the 2012 Assembly elections, they had worked sincerely for the party in the Shimla (rural) constituency, from where the Chief Minister had contested.

“Even after all our hard work and efforts put in for the victory of the party, it is disheartening to hear from the CM that he doesn’t even know the secretaries appointed in his constituency,” they said.